Critical Security Vulnerabilities in Extreme Networks HiveOS
Security researchers have identified three critical vulnerabilities in Extreme Networks’ IQ Engine HiveOS when exploited together allow authenticated attackers to escalate privileges, decrypt passwords and execute arbitrary commands on vulnerable systems.
The vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2025-27229, CVE-2025-27228, and CVE-2025-27227, were found by the efforts of Lukas Schauer from Bonn Rhein Sieg University of Applied Sciences, leading Extreme Networks to release a patched firmware version (10.7r5).
Technical Description
Three critical vulnerabilities have been identified in Extreme Networks’ HiveOS (IQ Engine), tracked as CVE-2025-27229, CVE-2025-27228, and CVE-2025-27227.
CVE-2025-27229: Unsensitized SSH Tunnel Call
This vulnerability comes from improper handling of SSH tunnel calls in HiveOS, where the system fails to sanitize inputs before processing them. An attacker with authenticated user level access can inject malicious commands or requests into the SSH tunnel call. The lack of input validation allows attackers to escalate their privileges to the root level, providing them with full control over the affected system. This flaw significantly impacts the system’s security as the attackers can bypass normal access restrictions and gain unauthorized administrative access, enabling them to manipulate or modify data, install malicious software or disrupt operations.
CVE-2025-27228: User Level Password Decryption via CLI
The second vulnerability, CVE-2025-27228, exposes a weakness in the encryption and storage mechanisms of user passwords within the command-line interface (CLI) of “HiveOS”. Attackers with authenticated access can leverage this flaw to decrypt stored user-level passwords. The issue stems from weak encryption algorithms or improper handling of password storage, which can be exploited by attackers to recover plaintext passwords. With access to these credentials, an attacker can elevate their privileges, gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, or move laterally within the network. The impact of this vulnerability is amplified because user passwords are often stored with inadequate protection, allowing attackers to exploit this weakness with minimal effort.
CVE-2025-27227: Client SSID Newline Injection
The third vulnerability, CVE-2025-27227, involves the improper handling of user input in the Client-SSID setting command. The system does not properly validate or sanitize input fields, allowing an attacker to inject newline characters into the SSID command. This injection enables the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the system as the newline character is interpreted as a command separator. This flaw allows attackers to bypass normal command restrictions allowing them to execute arbitrary system level commands, altering configurations, or installing unauthorized software. The lack of robust input validation for commands involving SSID configuration creates a significant attack vector, especially since it can be exploited by authenticated attackers who can inject malicious commands without triggering detection mechanisms.
Impact
These vulnerabilities pose a severe risk to the security of HiveOS powered devices, particularly in sensitive environments. The ability to escalate privileges, decrypt passwords, and execute arbitrary commands gives attackers the tools needed to completely undermine system integrity, steal sensitive information, and potentially disrupt business operations. If left unpatched, these vulnerabilities could be exploited to launch targeted attacks, including ransomware campaigns, data breaches, and denial-of-service incidents.
Organizations using affected versions of HiveOS are strongly advised to apply the security patch (version 10.7r5) to mitigate these risks and protect their systems from potential compromise. Failure to do so could result in significant operational and reputational damage.
IOC and Context Details
| Topics | Details |
|---|---|
| Tactic Name | Unsensitized SSH Tunnel Call, Credential Access, Client SSID Newline Injection |
| Technique Name | Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, Brute Force, Command and Scripting Interpreter |
| Sub Technique Name | Spraying |
| Attack Type | Privilege Escalation, Password Spraying, Execution |
| Targeted Applications | HiveOS |
| Region Impacted | Global |
| Industry Impacted | All |
| IOC’s | NA |
| CVE | CVE-2025-27229, CVE-2025-27228, CVE-2025-27227 |
Recommended Actions
- Upgrade to Patched Version: update to HiveOS version 10.7r5 to address the vulnerabilities.
- Monitor SSH Access: Regularly review SSH logs for unauthorized access, limit SSH access to trusted IPs, and use two-factor authentication.
- Secure User Credentials: Change user passwords, ensure secure password storage, and monitor for credential harvesting.
- Validate Inputs and Configurations: Sanitize user inputs and regularly audit configuration files to prevent injection attacks.
- Network Traffic Monitoring: Use intrusion detection systems to monitor suspicious traffic, especially related to SSH and command execution.