Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2019-25397 affects IPFire 2.21 Core Update 127. The web management interface component hosts.cgi can reflect attacker-supplied script into a user’s browser. This usually requires a user to be tricked into submitting or visiting malicious content. Business risk is moderate, mainly browser-session abuse or unauthorized actions through an administrator’s session.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted administrative-interface risk, not an internet-wide emergency based on available evidence. Prioritize if IPFire administration is broadly reachable or used by privileged staff. Validate versions and restrict management access while confirming vendor remediation.
Technical view
The issue is reflected cross-site scripting in IPFire hosts.cgi due to unvalidated parameters including KEY1, IP, HOST, and DOM. CVSS is 6.1, with network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, and required user interaction. Scope is changed, with low confidentiality and integrity impact and no availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to IPFire 2.21 Core Update 127 systems, especially where the web administration interface is reachable by administrators or less-trusted networks. Systems not running that specific version are not identified as affected in the provided sources.
Exploitation context
A public ExploitDB entry exists, but the source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction and would execute JavaScript in the victim’s browser context, commonly relevant to administrative web sessions.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports reflected XSS in hosts.cgi for IPFire 2.21 Core Update 127. The bundle includes a public exploit reference, but no KEV status and no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation. The provided download reference appears to be the affected release, not necessarily a fix.
Mitigation direction
- Identify any IPFire 2.21 Core Update 127 deployments.
- Restrict IPFire web administration access to trusted management networks.
- Review IPFire vendor guidance for fixed versions or official remediation.
- Upgrade away from the affected Core Update if vendor guidance confirms a fixed release.
- Warn administrators against opening untrusted links while authenticated to IPFire.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed IPFire version and Core Update level.
- Inventory where the IPFire web administration interface is reachable.
- Review logs for suspicious requests to hosts.cgi around administrator sessions.
- Check whether compensating access controls limit web UI exposure.
- Track vendor or advisory updates for remediation confirmation.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-25397 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.1 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.82.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.1MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ExploitDB-46344CVE reference · exploit
- IPFire Official WebsiteCVE reference · product
- IPFire 2.21 Core Update 127 DownloadCVE reference · patch
- VulnCheck Advisory: IPFire 2.21 Core Update 127 Cross-Site Scripting via hosts.cgiCVE reference · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.