Introduction
Attackers with access to RUCKUS SmartZone management interfaces can gain remote command execution on critical wireless infrastructure, threatening the integrity and control of enterprise WiFi deployments. This vulnerability enables privilege escalation and lateral movement within managed networks, directly impacting organizations that rely on RUCKUS for large-scale wireless management.
About RUCKUS Networks: RUCKUS Networks, now part of CommScope, is a leading provider of enterprise wireless networking solutions. Their SmartZone and Virtual SmartZone platforms manage wireless access for schools, hospitals, hotels, and city-wide deployments, supporting thousands of access points and hundreds of thousands of clients. The company’s products are foundational to wireless connectivity in many critical environments.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-44961 is a command injection vulnerability caused by improper input sanitization in the RUCKUS SmartZone (SZ) management interface. When an authenticated user provides input in an IP address field, the application fails to neutralize special characters before passing the value to an operating system command. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands using separators such as ; or &&.
The vulnerability is present in API functions that execute system-level commands with user-supplied parameters. For example, if the application expects an IP address but receives input like 10.0.0.1; cat /etc/passwd, the injected command (cat /etc/passwd) is executed with the privileges of the management application. This can lead to full system compromise, especially since these management systems often run with elevated privileges.
The flaw affects SmartZone and Virtual SmartZone products prior to the patched versions listed below. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command).
Detection Methods
Detecting exploitation attempts of CVE-2025-44961 requires a multifaceted approach, focusing on both network traffic analysis and system behavior monitoring. This vulnerability involves improper input sanitization, allowing authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands by supplying malicious input where an IP address is expected.
Network Traffic Analysis:
Monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns is crucial. Specifically, look for HTTP requests that deviate from normal behavior, such as unexpected parameters or commands in fields where only IP addresses should appear. Anomalies in request structures or unexpected command sequences can indicate exploitation attempts.
System Behavior Monitoring:
Implementing host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) can help identify unauthorized command executions. By setting up alerts for processes initiated by the application that should not be executing shell commands, administrators can detect potential exploitation. Monitoring for the execution of system commands by the application user, especially those that are not part of standard operations, is essential.
Log Analysis:
Regularly reviewing application and system logs can reveal indicators of compromise. Look for entries that show unexpected command executions or errors related to command processing. Logs may contain evidence of attempts to inject commands, such as unusual error messages or stack traces indicating command injection attempts.
Utilizing Security Tools:
Employing security tools that specialize in detecting command injection vulnerabilities can enhance detection capabilities. These tools can simulate attack scenarios to test the application's resilience and monitor for signs of exploitation.
By combining these methods, organizations can effectively monitor for and detect attempts to exploit CVE-2025-44961, thereby enhancing their security posture against such vulnerabilities.
References for detection: Tenable
Affected Systems and Versions
- RUCKUS SmartZone and Virtual SmartZone products are affected.
- Vulnerable versions include:
- 5.2.1.x before 5.2.1.3.1695 (patch: SecurityFix_5_2_1_3_1695-15389-v1_866985.ksp)
- 5.2.2.x before 5.2.2.0.1563 (patch: SecurityFix_5_2_2_0_1563-15389-v1_866974.ksp)
- 6.x before 6.1.2.0.487 (patch: SecurityFix_6_1_2_487-15389-v1_0c5006774d7.ksp)
- 7.x before 7.1.0.0.586 (patch: SecurityFix_7_1_0_0_586-15389-v1_1141f30a5b6.ksp)
- Network Director (RND) versions 4.0.x and 4.5.x are also affected, with fixes in 4.0.0.47 and 4.5.0.51 respectively.
Vendor Security History
RUCKUS Networks has experienced multiple critical vulnerabilities in 2025, including authentication bypass and command injection flaws across its wireless management products. Disclosure of these issues was initially delayed due to communication challenges between researchers and the vendor. Patches were eventually released via Knowledge Support Package (KSP) and direct updates. The vendor’s reliance on centralized management with elevated privileges has contributed to a broader attack surface. Previous advisories and security bulletins indicate a need for improved secure development and disclosure processes.