CVE-2024-42922 in AAPanel
Summary
by MITRE • 05/21/2025
AAPanel v7.0.7 was discovered to contain an OS command injection vulnerability.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-42922 affects AAPanel version 7.0.7 and represents a critical operating system command injection flaw that exposes systems to remote code execution risks. This vulnerability resides within the panel's handling of user-supplied input that is subsequently processed through shell commands without adequate sanitization or validation. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious commands that are executed with the privileges of the web server process, potentially enabling full system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as AAPanel is widely used for server management and hosting control, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access to infrastructure. The issue stems from improper input validation within the panel's administrative interface where user-provided data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper escaping or filtering mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when an attacker submits malicious input through various panel interfaces that eventually get processed by system shell commands. The flaw typically occurs in functions that handle server configuration, file operations, or system monitoring tasks where user input is concatenated directly into command strings. This pattern creates a classic command injection vector where attackers can append additional commands using shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or pipes to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication for certain functionalities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the panel is exposed to untrusted networks. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-77 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-42922 extends beyond simple data theft or service disruption to encompass complete system compromise and persistent backdoor establishment. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can execute commands with the privileges of the web server process, potentially escalating to root access if the panel runs with elevated permissions. The vulnerability enables attackers to install malware, establish persistent access through reverse shells, modify system configurations, and exfiltrate sensitive data from the compromised infrastructure. In enterprise environments, this could lead to widespread lateral movement attacks as attackers use compromised panel instances as launch points for attacking other systems within the network. The vulnerability also poses significant risks to hosting providers who may face regulatory compliance violations and customer data breaches when their infrastructure becomes compromised through this vector.
Security mitigations for CVE-2024-42922 should prioritize immediate patching of AAPanel to version 7.0.8 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the command injection vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to panel interfaces, restrict administrative access through firewall rules, and enforce strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication. Input validation and sanitization should be implemented at multiple layers including application-level filtering, parameterized queries, and proper command execution methods that avoid shell injection. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running panel processes with minimal required permissions and avoiding root access for administrative tasks. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious command execution patterns and anomalous network traffic that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar injection vulnerabilities in other applications and systems within their infrastructure, following the ATT&CK framework's command and control tactics to understand potential exploitation patterns and defensive measures.