CVE-2025-30264 is a command injection vulnerability identified in QNAP Systems Inc.'s QTS operating system, specifically affecting version 5.2.x. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-77, which relates to improper neutralization of special elements used in a command ('Command Injection'). The flaw allows a remote attacker who has already obtained a user account with limited privileges (low privileges) to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system without requiring any user interaction. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), and requires partial authentication (AT:P) with low privileges (PR:L). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (VC:H, VI:H, VA:H), indicating that successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or service disruption. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and does not involve scope changes (S:U). QNAP has addressed this vulnerability in QTS 5.2.5.3145 build 20250526 and later, as well as QuTS hero h5.2.5.3138 build 20250519 and later. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The vulnerability arises from improper input sanitization allowing injection of OS commands, which could be leveraged by attackers to escalate privileges or execute malicious payloads on NAS devices running vulnerable QTS versions.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-30264 is significant, especially for those relying on QNAP NAS devices for data storage, backup, and file sharing. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, disruption of business operations due to compromised availability of NAS services, and potential lateral movement within internal networks. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations could face data breaches, ransomware deployment, or sabotage of critical infrastructure. The requirement of a user account means insider threats or compromised credentials could be leveraged by external attackers. This vulnerability poses a risk to sectors with high data sensitivity such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure providers across Europe. Additionally, the centralized nature of NAS devices in many enterprises makes them attractive targets for attackers aiming to gain footholds in corporate networks.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading all QNAP QTS devices to version 5.2.5.3145 build 20250526 or later, or QuTS hero h5.2.5.3138 build 20250519 or later, as these versions contain the patch for CVE-2025-30264. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strong access controls and multi-factor authentication on NAS user accounts to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Network segmentation should be applied to isolate NAS devices from general user networks, limiting exposure to potential attackers. Monitoring and logging of NAS device activities should be enhanced to detect unusual command executions or privilege escalations. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular audits of user accounts on QNAP devices to remove unnecessary or inactive accounts. Employing intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or heuristics for command injection attempts targeting QNAP devices can provide early warning. Finally, educating users about credential security and monitoring for leaked credentials can reduce the risk of initial account compromise.