CVE-2025-52862 in QTS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/03/2025
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability has been reported to affect several QNAP operating system versions. If a remote attacker gains an administrator account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to launch a denial-of-service (DoS) attack.
We have already fixed the vulnerability in the following versions: QTS 5.2.6.3195 build 20250715 and later QuTS hero h5.2.6.3195 build 20250715 and later
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-52862 represents a critical NULL pointer dereference flaw within QNAP operating systems that affects multiple versions including QTS 5.2.6.3195 build 20250715 and later, as well as QuTS hero h5.2.6.3195 build 20250715 and later. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions that can lead to system instability and potential exploitation by malicious actors. The flaw exists in the operating system's handling of certain administrative functions that could be manipulated through legitimate administrative access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the system attempts to dereference a null pointer during specific administrative operations within the QNAP operating environment. This particular flaw requires an attacker to first compromise an administrator account, which aligns with the principle of least privilege and demonstrates the importance of securing administrative credentials. Once an attacker possesses administrative privileges, they can manipulate system processes to trigger the NULL pointer dereference, causing the system to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited to launch denial-of-service attacks against network-attached storage systems.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on QNAP storage solutions, as it can effectively disable critical storage services and render entire storage networks unavailable. The DoS attack capability means that legitimate users and services dependent on these storage systems could experience complete service interruption, potentially leading to data access issues, backup failures, and business continuity disruptions. The vulnerability's exploitation requires administrative access, but this access can be gained through various means including credential theft, brute force attacks, or other privilege escalation techniques, making it a substantial security concern for organizations with inadequate administrative access controls.
Organizations should immediately implement the recommended mitigations by upgrading to the patched versions of QNAP operating systems as specified in the advisory. The fixed versions QTS 5.2.6.3195 build 20250715 and later, along with QuTS hero h5.2.6.3195 build 20250715 and later, should be deployed across all affected systems to eliminate the vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should strengthen their administrative access controls by implementing multi-factor authentication, regular credential rotation, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following the principle of defense in depth, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and denial of service tactics. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to ensure all QNAP systems are properly updated and that administrative access controls are appropriately configured to prevent unauthorized access to administrative accounts.