CVE-2025-34082 is a critical OS command injection vulnerability affecting IGEL Technology GmbH's IGEL OS, specifically versions prior to 11.04.270, including the now end-of-life 10.x series. The vulnerability resides in the Secure Terminal and Secure Shadow services, which listen on TCP ports 30022 and 5900. The root cause is improper input sanitization of specially crafted PROXYCMD commands received over the network. An unauthenticated attacker with network access to these ports can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary OS commands. This leads to remote code execution with elevated privileges, allowing full control over the affected device. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), indicating that user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being passed to an OS command interpreter. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 9.3, reflecting the critical nature of the flaw due to its network attack vector, lack of required authentication or user interaction, and the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the severity and ease of exploitation make it a high-risk issue. IGEL OS is widely used in thin clients and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments, often deployed in enterprise and government sectors for secure endpoint access. The end-of-life status of version 10.x further complicates mitigation, as these devices may no longer receive security updates, increasing their risk profile.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat, especially those relying on IGEL OS thin clients for secure remote access to corporate networks and virtual desktops. Successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges. This can result in data breaches, lateral movement within networks, disruption of critical services, and potential deployment of ransomware or other malware. Given the common use of IGEL OS in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies across Europe, the impact could extend to sensitive personal data exposure and operational disruptions. The lack of authentication requirement and the network-accessible attack surface increase the risk of automated or targeted attacks. Additionally, organizations still running the unsupported 10.x versions face heightened exposure due to the absence of patches. The vulnerability could also undermine trust in secure remote access solutions, complicating compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations.

European organizations should immediately inventory their IGEL OS deployments to identify affected versions, prioritizing devices running versions prior to 11.04.270 and especially those on the unsupported 10.x branch. Where possible, upgrade to the latest patched version of IGEL OS 11.x. For devices that cannot be upgraded promptly, implement network-level controls to restrict access to TCP ports 30022 and 5900, limiting exposure to trusted management networks or VPNs. Deploy intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures tuned to detect anomalous PROXYCMD traffic or command injection attempts. Employ network segmentation to isolate IGEL thin clients from critical infrastructure. Monitor logs for unusual activity on the affected ports and commands executed by Secure Terminal and Secure Shadow services. Consider disabling or restricting these services if not essential. For legacy devices that cannot be patched or isolated, evaluate replacement options to reduce long-term risk. Finally, establish incident response plans specific to potential exploitation scenarios involving IGEL OS endpoints.