CVE-2025-11953 is an OS command injection vulnerability classified under CWE-78 affecting the Metro Development Server component of React Native CLI version 4.8.0. The Metro server, which facilitates JavaScript bundling and development workflows, binds to external network interfaces by default, exposing an endpoint that accepts POST requests. Due to improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands, unauthenticated remote attackers can inject arbitrary commands that the server executes on the underlying operating system. On Windows platforms, this allows execution of arbitrary shell commands with fully controlled arguments, significantly increasing the attacker's control. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, making it trivially exploitable over the network. The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 reflects the critical nature of this flaw, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the ease of exploitation and the widespread use of React Native in development environments pose a substantial risk. The vulnerability highlights a security design flaw where development tools expose powerful interfaces without adequate access controls or input sanitization.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to development environments that utilize React Native CLI version 4.8.0, particularly if the Metro Development Server is exposed to untrusted networks. Successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise of development machines or build servers, enabling attackers to steal sensitive source code, inject malicious code, disrupt development workflows, or pivot into internal networks. This can result in intellectual property theft, supply chain compromise, and operational downtime. Organizations with remote or cloud-based development setups are especially vulnerable if network segmentation and access controls are insufficient. The impact extends beyond individual developers to potentially affect entire software supply chains, increasing the risk of widespread downstream compromise in European software ecosystems.

1. Immediately restrict network exposure of the Metro Development Server by configuring it to bind only to localhost or trusted internal interfaces. 2. Implement strict firewall rules or network segmentation to prevent external access to development servers. 3. Monitor network traffic for suspicious POST requests targeting the Metro server endpoints. 4. Apply patches or updates from React Native maintainers as soon as they become available. 5. Educate development teams about the risks of exposing development tools to untrusted networks. 6. Use containerization or isolated virtual environments for development servers to limit potential damage. 7. Employ runtime application self-protection (RASP) or endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect anomalous command executions. 8. Review and harden CI/CD pipelines to prevent injection of malicious code stemming from compromised development environments.