Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-29209

RCE in Totolink X18 Firmware 9.1.0cu.2024_b20220329

Public PoCRCECommand Injection
Published
18 April 2025
Modified
17 June 2026
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.011 62th percentile
Risk Priority 74 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-29209 is a critical-severity Command Injection (CWE-77) vulnerability in Totolink X18 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 38% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

TOTOLINK X18 firmware version 9.1.0cu.2024_B20220329 contains a command-injection vulnerability (CWE-77) in the sub_41105C function of cstecgi.cgi. Unauthenticated attackers can supply arbitrary input to the enable parameter and cause the device to execute operating-system commands without any prior authentication or user interaction. The flaw received a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, reflecting network attack vector, low complexity, and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Because the affected CGI endpoint is reachable over the network and requires no credentials, any remote adversary can exploit the issue to obtain a root shell on the router. Successful exploitation grants complete control of the device, enabling traffic interception, persistence, or use as an attack pivot inside the local network.

Public references consist of a technical write-up hosted on GitHub that demonstrates the injection vector; no vendor advisory or firmware patch is referenced in the available sources. The EPSS score rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.0158 before receding to its current value of 0.0044, indicating a temporary increase in exploitation interest after disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A05:2025 Injection

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

TOTOLINK X18 v9.1.0cu.2024_B20220329 has an unauthorized arbitrary command execution in the enable parameter' of the sub_41105C function of cstecgi .cgi.

CWE(s)
CWE-77

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Execution
Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.001 PowerShell Execution
Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.003 Windows Command Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.004 Unix Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.008 Network Device CLI Execution
Adversaries may abuse scripting or built-in command line interpreters (CLI) on network devices to execute malicious command and payloads.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-61044Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2023-29799Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2023-29803Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2023-29798Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2023-29802Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2023-29801Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2023-29800Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2024-10966Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2025-1339Same product: Totolink X18
CVE-2025-61045Same product: Totolink X18

Affected Assets

totolink
x18 firmware
9.1.0cu.2024_b20220329

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.2.3
  • V1.2.5
  • V1.2.8
  • V1.2.9

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SA-11 Developer Testing and Evaluation good match

Developer testing and evaluation can discover command-construction flaws before deployment.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match

Input validation directly stops construction of commands from untrusted data containing special elements.

SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles partial match

Secure engineering principles include proper neutralization and safe command construction practices.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly require input validation and neutralization that prevent command injection.

DE.CM-09 partial match
prevents

Runtime monitoring of software and data can detect anomalous command execution resulting from injection.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Identifying recorded vulnerabilities enables remediation of command-injection flaws before exploitation.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.28 Secure coding mostly match
prevents

Secure coding standards require proper escaping and parameterization of commands, directly eliminating CWE-77.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development catches command-injection vulnerabilities before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates input validation and command construction practices that directly prevent command injection.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against injection flaws including command injection.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles reduce the attack surface but do not prescribe the specific neutralization techniques needed.

A.8.31 Separation of development, test and production environments none match
none

Environment separation limits the blast radius of an exploited command injection but does not prevent the flaw itself.

References