HighPublic exploit

Path Traversal in Riverbed SteelHead VCX log filtering

IdentifiersCVE-2025-34098CWE-22

CVE-2025-34098 is a path traversal vulnerability in Riverbed SteelHead VCX appliances, confirmed in VCX255U version 9.6.0a. The flaw is caused by improper input validation in the log filtering functionality exposed through the management web interface. Specifically, an authenticated attacker can submit crafted filter expressions to the log_filter endpoint via the filterStr parameter. The backend parser processes this input in a way that permits file expansion syntax, which can be abused to traverse paths and cause arbitrary system files to be retrieved through the log viewing interface.

For your environment

Are you exposed to this one?

Mallory correlates every CVE against your assets, your vendors, and active adversary campaigns. Know which vulnerabilities matter for you, not just which ones are loud.

Start free trial

ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows an authenticated attacker to read arbitrary files from the underlying system through the management interface. Depending on the files accessible to the affected service, this can expose sensitive information such as configuration data, credentials, keys, logs, and other internal system files, potentially enabling further compromise or follow-on attacks.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Restrict access to the SteelHead VCX management web interface to trusted administrative networks and users only. Minimize the number of accounts with access to the log viewing and filtering functionality, enforce strong authentication, and monitor for suspicious requests to the log_filter endpoint, especially crafted filterStr values. Where possible, place the management interface behind network access controls or VPN-only access until a patch is applied.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade Riverbed SteelHead VCX appliances to a vendor-fixed release once available from Riverbed. The vulnerable log filtering functionality should be corrected by enforcing strict server-side validation and neutralization of user-supplied filter expressions, specifically preventing file expansion or path traversal behavior in the backend parser. If Riverbed has published a security advisory or patched version, apply that update in accordance with vendor guidance.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.

VALID 1 / 1 TOTALView more in app

riverbed_steelhead_vcx_file_read.rbMaturityWeaponizedFrameworkmetasploitVerified exploit

This repository contains a single Metasploit auxiliary module that exploits an authenticated arbitrary file read vulnerability (CVE-2025-34098) in the Riverbed SteelHead VCX (VCX255U) version 9.6.0a. The module requires valid credentials to authenticate to the device's web interface. It first retrieves a CSRF token, then authenticates using the provided username and password, and finally abuses the log module's filter engine to read arbitrary files from the system (defaulting to /etc/shadow). The file contents are parsed from the JSON response and stored as loot in Metasploit. The module is written in Ruby and leverages Metasploit's HTTP client and scanner mixins. The main endpoints involved are /login for authentication and /modules/common/logs for the file read operation. The exploit is operational and provides a practical method for attackers with credentials to extract sensitive files from vulnerable devices.

Disclosed Jun 1, 2017rubynetwork

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

2 sources tracked across advisories and community write-ups. News coverage will land here when it surfaces.

2 SOURCESView more in app

No news coverage yet. Advisories and community discussion only.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

Start free trial

Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity2