CVE-2025-66429
Summary
CVE-2025-66429 is a high-severity directory traversal vulnerability affecting cPanel versions 110 through 132. This flaw within the Team Manager API allows an attacker to overwrite arbitrary files, potentially leading to root privilege escalation on the affected system.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the Team Manager API of cPanel. Specifically, the API fails to properly sanitize user-supplied file paths, allowing an attacker to inject directory traversal sequences (e.g., '../') into the file path. By crafting a malicious request, an attacker can manipulate the API to write to locations outside of the intended directory. This can be exploited to overwrite critical system files, such as those used for authentication or service configuration. The Team Manager API is designed to manage team members and their permissions within a cPanel environment. The lack of proper path sanitization allows an attacker to bypass these intended restrictions.
Successful exploitation requires an attacker to be authenticated to cPanel. However, once authenticated, the attacker can leverage the directory traversal vulnerability to overwrite files owned by the root user. This overwrite could involve modifying system binaries, configuration files, or other critical components, effectively granting the attacker root access to the server.
Affected Products and Versions
This vulnerability affects the following cPanel versions:
- cPanel versions 110 through 132
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-66429 can have severe consequences:
- Complete System Compromise: An attacker can gain root access to the server, allowing them to control all aspects of the system.
- Data Breach: With root access, an attacker can access and exfiltrate sensitive data, including customer databases, configuration files, and other confidential information.
- Service Disruption: An attacker can disrupt services by modifying critical system files or shutting down the server.
- Malware Installation: An attacker can install malware, such as backdoors or rootkits, to maintain persistent access to the system.
Remediation
Immediate Actions
- Upgrade cPanel: Upgrade to the latest version of cPanel that includes a fix for CVE-2025-66429. Refer to the cPanel release notes for specific version information.
- Review Team Manager API Usage: Audit the usage of the Team Manager API to identify any suspicious activity or unauthorized access.
Long-term Solutions
- Implement Input Validation: Ensure that all user-supplied input is properly validated and sanitized to prevent directory traversal attacks.
- Principle of Least Privilege: Grant users only the minimum necessary privileges to perform their tasks.
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Detection & Scanning
Detecting CVE-2025-66429 requires careful analysis of cPanel logs and system activity. Look for unusual file access patterns or attempts to write to sensitive system files. Security scanners can also be used to identify vulnerable cPanel installations.
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