CVE-2025-3460 in Quantenna Wi-Fi Chipset
Summary
by MITRE • 06/09/2025
The Quantenna Wi-Fi chipset ships with a local control script, set_tx_pow, that is vulnerable to command injection. This is an instance of CWE-88, "Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')," and is estimated as a CVSS 7.7 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N). This issue affects Quantenna Wi-Fi chipset through version 8.0.0.28 of the latest SDK, and appears to be unpatched at the time of this CVE record's first publishing, though the vendor has released a best practices guide for implementors of this chipset.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-3460 resides within the Quantenna Wi-Fi chipset ecosystem, specifically targeting a local control script named set_tx_pow that governs transmission power settings for wireless communications. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that stems from improper neutralization of argument delimiters in command execution contexts, directly correlating to CWE-88 classification. The vulnerability manifests when untrusted input is passed to the script without adequate sanitization, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary commands that execute with the privileges of the script's execution context. The affected chipset versions extend through the 8.0.0.28 SDK release, indicating this represents a persistent flaw that has not yet been addressed through official patches.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through command injection attacks that leverage the script's failure to properly validate or escape input parameters. When an attacker provides malicious input containing command delimiters such as semicolons, pipes, or other shell metacharacters, these elements can be interpreted by the underlying shell as command separators, allowing arbitrary code execution. This command injection vector operates at the local privilege level, meaning that an attacker must first gain access to a system with the ability to execute the vulnerable script, typically through legitimate user accounts or service accounts with appropriate permissions. The CVSS score of 7.7 indicates high severity with low attack complexity and no user interaction required, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where local access is possible.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to manipulate wireless transmission parameters in ways that may compromise network security, disrupt communications, or provide a foothold for further attacks. The ability to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the set_tx_pow script can potentially allow attackers to modify system configurations, disable security features, or establish persistent access points within the wireless infrastructure. Given that this vulnerability affects the core Wi-Fi chipset functionality, it can impact not only individual devices but entire wireless networks that rely on Quantenna chipsets, creating cascading security implications for connected systems. The lack of available patches at the time of CVE publication means that organizations must rely on workarounds or architectural mitigations to protect against exploitation.
Organizations utilizing Quantenna Wi-Fi chipsets should implement immediate defensive measures including network segmentation to limit local access to systems running the vulnerable script, monitoring for unusual command execution patterns, and implementing strict input validation at all levels of the application stack. The vendor's release of a best practices guide represents a partial mitigation strategy that should be carefully reviewed and implemented, though it does not constitute a complete fix for the underlying command injection vulnerability. Security teams should consider deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying suspicious command injection patterns and establish procedures for regularly auditing system access logs for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-88 aligns with common ATT&CK techniques involving command and scripting interpreters and privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for organizations following established threat modeling frameworks.