News
Cisco’s Wi-Fi Controllers Face Serious Risk After Exploit Details Leak Online
<p data-start="181" data-end="469">A newly disclosed critical vulnerability in Cisco’s wireless controller software is raising serious red flags across enterprise IT teams. While a working exploit hasn’t yet gone public, technical details shared last week may have brought threat actors dangerously close to developing one.</p>
<p data-start="471" data-end="779">Researchers at Horizon3 published a breakdown of the flaw—tracked as CVE-2025-20188—which affects Cisco IOS XE Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs). The write-up stops short of providing an out-of-the-box exploit. But make no mistake: anyone with some know-how, or even an AI model, could piece together the rest.</p>
<h2 data-start="781" data-end="817">Exploit Path Is Clearer Than Ever</h2>
<p data-start="819" data-end="1151">The vulnerability stems from what’s essentially a shortcut gone wrong—Cisco hardcoded a JWT (JSON Web Token) fallback secret inside the system. If a specific file is missing, the backend simply defaults to using “notfound” as its secret. That’s not a joke. Anyone can craft a valid token with that string and gain root-level access.</p>
<p data-start="1153" data-end="1503">The problem lies in the backend logic of the device, which uses OpenResty (a mix of Nginx and Lua). Horizon3’s analysis reveals how this system validates tokens. In absence of the correct file, the secret defaults to that very predictable string. From there, it’s possible to upload arbitrary files, escape the designated directory, and execute code.</p>
<p data-start="1505" data-end="1715">And here’s where things start to look bleak: a POST request to the <code data-start="1572" data-end="1594">/ap_spec_rec/upload/</code> endpoint on port 8443, paired with some clever filename path traversal, lets an attacker plant files wherever they want.</p>
<p data-start="1505" data-end="1715"><a href="https://www.theibulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cisco-catalyst-9800-wireless-controller-vulnerability-wikimedia.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57571" src="https://www.theibulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cisco-catalyst-9800-wireless-controller-vulnerability-wikimedia.jpg" alt="cisco catalyst 9800 wireless controller vulnerability wikimedia" width="1352" height="744" /></a></p>
<h2 data-start="1717" data-end="1751">Devices Confirmed to Be at Risk</h2>
<p data-start="1753" data-end="2054">Cisco disclosed the flaw on May 7, 2025. The advisory spells out the scope, making it clear this isn’t just a theoretical concern. Affected models include a range of high-profile wireless controllers used by countless organizations, from hospitals and universities to airports and government networks.</p>
<p data-start="2056" data-end="2101">Specifically, the vulnerable lineup includes:</p>
<ul data-start="2103" data-end="2339">
<li data-start="2103" data-end="2154">
<p data-start="2105" data-end="2154">Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controllers for Cloud</p>
</li>
<li data-start="2155" data-end="2243">
<p data-start="2157" data-end="2243">Catalyst 9800 Embedded Wireless Controllers for 9300, 9400, and 9500 Series Switches</p>
</li>
<li data-start="2244" data-end="2289">
<p data-start="2246" data-end="2289">Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers</p>
</li>
<li data-start="2290" data-end="2339">
<p data-start="2292" data-end="2339">Embedded Wireless Controllers on Catalyst APs</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="2341" data-end="2500">Notably, the flaw only applies if the “Out-of-Band AP Image Download” feature is enabled. But that’s not exactly a rare configuration in enterprise settings.</p>
<p data-start="2502" data-end="2536">So yes, the scope is big—and real.</p>
<h2 data-start="2538" data-end="2580">How Attackers Could Chain This into RCE</h2>
<p data-start="2582" data-end="2808">It’s one thing to drop a file where you shouldn’t. It’s another to run code with root privileges. This flaw opens the door to both. Horizon3’s example doesn’t actually execute commands but outlines how someone could get there.</p>
<p data-start="2810" data-end="3041">By overwriting config files used by backend services—like the <code data-start="2872" data-end="2880">pvp.sh</code> script that monitors specific folders—an attacker could get the system to reload those files and execute their payload. It’s a subtle trick. And very dangerous.</p>
<p data-start="3043" data-end="3147">All it takes is placing a file in the right directory with the right name. From there, it’s possible to:</p>
<ul data-start="3149" data-end="3296">
<li data-start="3149" data-end="3168">
<p data-start="3151" data-end="3168">Drop web shells</p>
</li>
<li data-start="3169" data-end="3202">
<p data-start="3171" data-end="3202">Hijack monitored config files</p>
</li>
<li data-start="3203" data-end="3258">
<p data-start="3205" data-end="3258">Force backend services to execute unauthorized code</p>
</li>
<li data-start="3259" data-end="3296">
<p data-start="3261" data-end="3296">Alter system behavior permanently</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="3298" data-end="3427">And remember, this is without authentication. No password. No credentials. Just a few lines of Lua and the fallback token string.</p>
<h2 data-start="3429" data-end="3468">Urgency Picks Up in Security Circles</h2>
<p data-start="3470" data-end="3648">There’s already chatter among security professionals warning that it’s only a matter of time before someone publicly weaponizes this. Some say it could be days. Others say hours.</p>
<p data-start="3650" data-end="3810">Cisco’s patch—version 17.12.04—closes the hole. But in the meantime, there’s a growing sense of urgency to shut off the vulnerable feature and lock things down.</p>
<p data-start="3812" data-end="4001">One researcher, who asked not to be named, put it bluntly:<br data-start="3870" data-end="3873" />“This is the kind of bug ransomware gangs wait for. Remote access, root shell, and no credentials needed? That’s their jackpot.”</p>
<h2 data-start="4003" data-end="4044">Temporary Fixes Are Still on the Table</h2>
<p data-start="4046" data-end="4245">If a full upgrade isn&#8217;t feasible right now, Cisco suggests disabling the “Out-of-Band AP Image Download” feature immediately. It won’t fix the root cause, but it will cut off the vulnerable endpoint.</p>
<p data-start="4247" data-end="4479">In many environments, that workaround may be good enough to buy some time. But it’s not a long-term solution. Patch management tools and enterprise security platforms are already rushing to integrate the update into their workflows.</p>
<p data-start="4481" data-end="4530">For those keeping track, here&#8217;s a quick overview:</p>
<div class="_tableContainer_16hzy_1">
<div class="_tableWrapper_16hzy_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse" tabindex="-1">
<table class="w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)" data-start="4532" data-end="4858">
<thead data-start="4532" data-end="4638">
<tr data-start="4532" data-end="4638">
<th data-start="4532" data-end="4551" data-col-size="sm">Patch Available?</th>
<th data-start="4551" data-end="4570" data-col-size="sm">Affected Devices</th>
<th data-start="4570" data-end="4588" data-col-size="sm">Remote Exploit?</th>
<th data-start="4588" data-end="4613" data-col-size="sm">Privilege Level Gained</th>
<th data-start="4613" data-end="4638" data-col-size="sm">Workaround Available?</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody data-start="4748" data-end="4858">
<tr data-start="4748" data-end="4858">
<td data-start="4748" data-end="4767" data-col-size="sm">Yes (17.12.04+)</td>
<td data-start="4767" data-end="4790" data-col-size="sm">Catalyst 9800 series</td>
<td data-start="4790" data-end="4808" data-col-size="sm">Yes</td>
<td data-start="4808" data-end="4832" data-col-size="sm">Root</td>
<td data-start="4832" data-end="4858" data-col-size="sm">Yes (disable feature)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="sticky end-(--thread-content-margin) h-0 self-end select-none">
<div class="absolute end-0 flex items-end"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h2 data-start="4860" data-end="4904">Lessons From Yet Another Hardcoded Secret</h2>
<p data-start="4906" data-end="5101">The most frustrating part? This flaw didn’t stem from some fancy zero-day logic bug. It came from a static string hardcoded into production code. “notfound” might as well have been “open_sesame.”</p>
<p data-start="5103" data-end="5318">We’ve been here before. Hardcoded secrets have taken down supply chains, exposed cloud systems, and triggered data breaches. Yet here we are, in 2025, still finding them tucked away inside business-critical devices.</p>
<p data-start="5320" data-end="5511">Even worse, the exploit isn’t flashy or complicated. No memory corruption. No buffer overflows. Just JWT tokens, Lua scripts, and a misconfigured feature that shouldn’t have shipped this way.</p>

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