CVE-2025-5571 in DCS-932L
Summary
by MITRE • 06/04/2025
A vulnerability was found in D-Link DCS-932L 2.18.01. It has been classified as critical. Affected is the function setSystemAdmin of the file /setSystemAdmin. The manipulation of the argument AdminID leads to os command injection. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-5571 represents a critical os command injection flaw in D-Link DCS-932L security camera firmware version 2.18.01. This vulnerability resides within the setSystemAdmin function of the web interface, specifically in the /setSystemAdmin endpoint that handles administrative user management operations. The flaw manifests when the AdminID parameter is manipulated, allowing attackers to inject malicious operating system commands that execute with elevated privileges on the affected device. The vulnerability's classification as critical stems from its remote exploitability and the potential for full system compromise through command injection attacks. This issue affects only devices running the unsupported firmware version 2.18.01, which has reached end-of-life status and no longer receives security updates from the vendor, leaving users exposed to persistent threats.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the CWE-77 principle of command injection, where unvalidated user input is directly incorporated into operating system commands without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms. When an attacker submits malicious input through the AdminID parameter, the system fails to properly validate or escape the input before using it in system calls, creating a direct pathway for arbitrary command execution. The attack vector is entirely remote, meaning no physical access or local network presence is required to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for network-connected security cameras that are often deployed in unsecured environments. The exploitability factor is enhanced by the fact that this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is actively used in the wild, indicating real-world threat actor interest and immediate risk to affected deployments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands with root privileges on the affected D-Link devices. This capability enables threat actors to gain complete control over the camera's functionality, potentially including remote access to video feeds, modification of system configurations, installation of persistent backdoors, and use of the device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the local network. The implications are particularly severe for security camera deployments where these devices are used for surveillance in sensitive locations, as attackers could disable security monitoring, manipulate recorded footage, or use the devices to launch further attacks against network infrastructure. Given that the affected DCS-932L model is no longer supported, users have no means of receiving official security patches, leaving their deployments permanently vulnerable to exploitation.
Organizations and individuals utilizing affected D-Link DCS-932L devices should implement immediate mitigation strategies to reduce exposure to this critical vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves discontinuing use of the affected firmware version and replacing the vulnerable devices with supported models that receive regular security updates. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks, while monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. According to ATT&CK framework categorization, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) as attackers may leverage the command injection to execute various malicious payloads. Additionally, implementing network-based intrusion detection systems with signatures for known exploitation patterns can help detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability. However, the most effective long-term solution remains complete device replacement with supported models that provide ongoing security support and firmware updates to address emerging threats.