CVE-2025-34129 is a high-severity OS command injection vulnerability affecting Merit LILIN Digital Video Recorder (DVR) firmware versions prior to 2.0b60_20200207. The root cause is improper sanitization of user-supplied input in the FTP and NTP Server configuration fields within the device's service configuration interface. An attacker with access to the configuration interface can upload a malicious XML configuration file containing shell commands injected into these fields. When the device performs configuration synchronization, these injected commands are executed with elevated privileges, allowing the attacker to run arbitrary OS commands on the DVR device. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command) and CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation). The CVSS v4.0 score is 8.7 (high), reflecting the vulnerability's network attack vector, low attack complexity, no required authentication, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although the description mentions exploitation by the Moobot botnets, the provided data indicates no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to the fixed firmware release 2.0b60_20200207, implying a broad impact on deployed devices. The elevated privileges during command execution significantly increase the risk, potentially allowing attackers to take full control of the affected DVRs, manipulate video recordings, disrupt surveillance operations, or use the compromised devices as footholds for further network intrusion or botnet activity.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat, especially to entities relying on Merit LILIN DVRs for security and surveillance, such as critical infrastructure, transportation hubs, government facilities, and private enterprises. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to surveillance footage, tampering with recorded evidence, or complete device takeover. This compromises physical security monitoring and may facilitate further attacks within the network. Additionally, compromised DVRs could be conscripted into botnets, amplifying distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or other malicious campaigns targeting European networks. The elevated privileges and lack of authentication requirements make exploitation feasible for attackers with network access to the device's configuration interface, which may be exposed internally or remotely if not properly segmented or secured. Given the importance of video surveillance in security operations across Europe, disruption or manipulation of these systems could have operational, reputational, and regulatory consequences, including violations of GDPR if personal data is exposed or altered.

1. Immediate firmware upgrade to version 2.0b60_20200207 or later, which addresses the input sanitization flaws. 2. Restrict access to the DVR configuration interface by implementing network segmentation and firewall rules to limit management access only to trusted administrators and management networks. 3. Employ strong authentication and access control mechanisms on the DVR devices to prevent unauthorized configuration changes. 4. Monitor network traffic for unusual XML configuration uploads or unexpected configuration sync activities that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5. Conduct regular audits of device configurations and logs to detect anomalies or unauthorized changes. 6. If firmware updates cannot be applied immediately, disable or restrict FTP and NTP server configuration options where possible to reduce attack surface. 7. Implement intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) tuned to detect command injection patterns or known Moobot botnet behaviors. 8. Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include steps for compromised DVR devices.