CVE-2025-5349 in NetScaler ADC
Summary
by MITRE • 06/17/2025
Improper access control on the NetScaler Management Interface in NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-5349 represents a critical improper access control flaw within the NetScaler Management Interface of Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway appliances. This issue resides in the management interface component that governs administrative access to the core networking and security appliances. The vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks and validation mechanisms that fail to properly enforce access restrictions for administrative functions and sensitive configuration data. The flaw allows unauthorized entities to potentially bypass normal authentication procedures and gain elevated privileges within the management interface, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these critical infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves weaknesses in the authentication and authorization framework of the NetScaler management interface. Attackers can exploit this flaw to perform unauthorized administrative actions without proper credentials, potentially gaining access to sensitive system configurations, user data, and network policies. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to adequately validate user permissions or when access control lists are improperly enforced during management interface operations. This weakness can be exploited through various attack vectors including direct interface manipulation, session hijacking, or credential bypass techniques that leverage the flawed access control implementation. The issue is particularly concerning as it affects both NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway appliances, which are widely deployed for application delivery, load balancing, and secure remote access services.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-5349 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential complete system compromise and data breaches. Organizations utilizing affected NetScaler appliances face risks including unauthorized modification of critical network configurations, exposure of sensitive corporate data, and potential disruption of essential network services. The vulnerability creates an attack surface that could enable lateral movement within networks, as attackers might use compromised management interfaces to pivot to other systems. Additionally, the flaw could facilitate denial of service attacks against critical infrastructure, as unauthorized users could potentially disable or misconfigure essential network services. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that depend on NetScaler appliances for secure remote access, as this vulnerability could undermine the entire security posture of remote access solutions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Citrix, reviewing and strengthening access control policies, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their NetScaler deployments. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to management interfaces, while privileged access should be strictly limited and audited. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Security teams should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for management interfaces and establishing automated monitoring for unusual access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security testing and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses throughout the infrastructure.