VulnerabilityPublished 21 Jul 2025Updated 7 Aug 2025

CVE-2025-44658: Unrestricted File Upload

Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 09:15 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

9.8Critical

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 1.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 67% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 21 Jul 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2025-44658, European organizations and users should take immediate and specific actions beyond generic advice: 1) Identify all Netgear RAX30 devices within the network and isolate them if possible until a patch is available. 2) Monitor network traffic for unusual activity originating from or targeting these routers, including unexpected outbound connections or command-and-control communications. 3) Disable remote management interfaces on the router to reduce exposure to external attackers. 4) Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of a compromised router on critical systems. 5) Use web application firewalls or intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to detect and block attempts to upload or execute malicious scripts. 6) Regularly check Netgear’s official channels for firmware updates or security advisories addressing this vulnerability and apply patches immediately upon release. 7) As a temporary workaround, if feasible, reconfigure PHP-FPM settings to strictly enforce execution only of .php files or disable PHP-FPM if not required. 8) Educate IT staff and users about the risks of this vulnerability and the importance of timely updates and secure configuration. These targeted steps will help reduce the attack surface and limit potential damage until a permanent fix is deployed.

Description

In Netgear RAX30 V1.0.10.94, a PHP-FPM misconfiguration vulnerability is caused by not following the specification to only limit FPM to .php extensions. An attacker may exploit this by uploading malicious scripts disguised with alternate extensions and tricking the web server into executing them as PHP, bypassing security mechanisms based on file extension filtering. This may lead to remote code execution (RCE), information disclosure, or full system compromise.

Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-44658 can be severe, especially for those relying on Netgear RAX30 routers in their network infrastructure. Compromise of these routers can lead to unauthorized access to internal networks, interception or manipulation of sensitive data, and disruption of network availability. Given that routers are critical network gateways, attackers gaining control could pivot to other internal systems, escalate privileges, or launch further attacks such as man-in-the-middle or lateral movement. This can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of organizational data and services. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and home offices using this router model are particularly vulnerable due to limited IT security resources and patch management capabilities. Additionally, compromised routers can be enlisted into botnets, amplifying threats to broader internet infrastructure and potentially impacting European critical infrastructure sectors. The vulnerability’s network-exploitable nature and lack of authentication requirements heighten the risk of widespread exploitation if not mitigated promptly.

CWE-434Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type (opens in a new tab)
Base weaknessLikelihood of exploit: MediumCWE Top 25 (2025): #12OWASP Top 10 A06:2025: Insecure Design (opens in a new tab)
The product allows the upload or transfer of dangerous file types that are automatically processed within its environment.
Architecture and Design
Generate a new, unique filename for an uploaded file instead of using the user-supplied filename, so that no external input is used at all.
Architecture and Design · Enforcement by Conversion
When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.
Architecture and Design
Consider storing the uploaded files outside of the web document root entirely. Then, use other mechanisms to deliver the files dynamically.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Server Side Request Forgery Prevention (opens in a new tab)
Web Service Security (opens in a new tab)
Third Party Javascript Management (opens in a new tab)
File Upload (opens in a new tab)
Secure Design Principles (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V12.5.2 (opens in a new tab)
V13.1.5 (opens in a new tab)
V12.2.1 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 8 Aug 2025, 00:38 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-434

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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