CVE-2025-5306 in Pandora FMS
Summary
by MITRE • 06/27/2025
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in the Netflow directory field may allow OS command injection. This issue affects Pandora FMS 774 through 778
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-5306 represents a critical security flaw in Pandora FMS versions 774 through 778, where improper neutralization of special elements in the Netflow directory field creates a pathway for operating system command injection attacks. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 command injection category, which is classified as a high-risk weakness in software security. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes user-supplied data in the Netflow directory field without adequate sanitization or validation, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary commands that execute with the privileges of the affected application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the Netflow processing module of Pandora FMS, where directory paths are constructed using unvalidated input from the Netflow directory field. When an attacker provides malicious input containing special shell characters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks, these elements are not properly escaped or filtered before being used in system calls or command execution contexts. This creates an environment where commands intended for legitimate system operations can be subverted to execute unauthorized code, potentially allowing full system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the operating system level, meaning successful exploitation could lead to complete system control.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-5306 extends beyond simple command execution, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and persistent system compromise. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to install backdoors, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or establish command and control channels. The affected Pandora FMS versions represent a significant attack surface since these are actively maintained releases that organizations depend on for network monitoring and management. The vulnerability's presence in the Netflow directory field processing suggests that any organization using Pandora FMS for network flow analysis and monitoring is at risk, particularly those with network infrastructure that relies on Netflow data collection.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Pandora FMS, implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, and deploying input validation controls at multiple layers of the application architecture. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1059.003 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell) as the exploitation involves command injection techniques. Additional defensive measures should include monitoring for unusual command execution patterns, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting comprehensive penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in the broader application ecosystem. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices, particularly around input validation and output encoding, as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and ISO/IEC 27001 security standards.