CVE-2025-29042: Critical Code Execution Vulnerability in dlink DIR 832x 240802

Overview

CVE-2025-29042 is an exploitable vulnerability that resides in dlink DIR 832x 240802. The issue allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the macaddr key value to the function 0x42232c. This vulnerability is of significant concern as the exploitation could lead to potential system compromise or data leakage. With a CVSS Severity Score of 9.8, this vulnerability is classified as critical and requires immediate attention.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-29042
Severity: Critical (9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise, potential data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

dlink DIR 832x | 240802

How the Exploit Works

An attacker exploits this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted request that includes a malicious macaddr key value to the function 0x42232c of the dlink DIR 832x 240802. Since the function does not correctly validate or sanitize the macaddr key value, an attacker can inject arbitrary code which is then executed in the context of the application. This could lead to various impacts, including system compromise or data leakage.

Conceptual Example Code

Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited, in the form of an HTTP request:

POST /function/0x42232c HTTP/1.1
Host: vulnerable_dlink_device
Content-Type: application/json
{ "macaddr": "malicious_code_here" }

In this example, the “macaddr” key contains malicious code that is executed when the request is processed by the dlink DIR 832x 240802. The exact nature of the malicious code would depend on the attacker’s objectives.

Mitigation Guidance

To mitigate this vulnerability, users are advised to apply the vendor-provided patch as soon as possible. As a temporary mitigation, users could employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability. However, these measures are not foolproof and the best protection is updating the affected software to a version in which the vulnerability has been fixed.