Imagine this - you perform a regular penetration test on your company's system only to discover an unexpected security flaw that could lead to incorrect user privilege levels being assigned to specific API access. This is precisely the situation Axis Communication found themselves in during their annual penetration test at the hands of Truesec. The vulnerability lies in the VAPIX Device Configuration framework and has been assigned the CVE-2025-0360 code. In this long-read post, we'll explore the details on this vulnerability, including the code snippet, original references, and exploit details, all written in simple American language for your understanding.

What is VAPIX Device Configuration framework?

For those unfamiliar with the VAPIX framework, it's the backbone of Axis Communication's IP video surveillance products, providing a consistent interface for managing and controlling devices. VAPIX Device Configuration is a component of this framework that focuses on handling device settings. The annual penetration test conducted by Truesec revealed a security flaw in this component that could lead to incorrect user privilege levels in the VAPIX service account D-Bus API.

Vulnerability Overview

The vulnerability, CVE-2025-0360, results from improper implementation of access restrictions in the VAPIX Device Configuration framework's D-Bus API, which ultimately leads to incorrect user privilege levels being assigned in the VAPIX service account. Exploiting this flaw could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive device settings, enabling malicious actors to tamper with device configurations and potentially disrupt the entire operation.

Code Snippet

Let's examine this CVE-2025-0360 vulnerability with a Python code snippet that demonstrates the issue. Consider the following simple example of using the D-Bus API to access the VAPIX service account:

import dbus

bus = dbus.SystemBus()
vapix_service = bus.get_object(
    "com.axis.VAPIX", "/com/axis/vapix/DeviceConfiguration"
)
vapix_iface = dbus.Interface(
    vapix_service, "com.axis.VAPIX.DeviceConfiguration"
)

user_privilege = vapix_iface.GetUserPrivilege("")

if user_privilege == "admin":
    print("Access granted as administrator.")
else:
    print("Insufficient access privilege.")

In the code above, the GetUserPrivilege function retrieves the privilege level of the service account currently accessing the VAPIX D-Bus API. However, due to CVE-2025-0360, the retrieved privilege level might be incorrect.

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to target the compromised VAPIX Device Configuration D-Bus API. By doing so, they could potentially execute unauthorized actions through incorrect user privilege levels. This could range from something as simple as changing the camera's settings to more complex scenarios like gaining control over the entire network.

Mitigating the Risk

To counter this flaw, Axis Communication has released a patch to correct the improper implementation of access restrictions in the VAPIX Device Configuration D-Bus API. Users of affected products are advised to update immediately to the latest firmware version to safeguard their devices from any potential attacks stemming from this vulnerability.

Original References

For more information on the vulnerability, patch, and affected products, refer to the following original references:

- Axis Security Advisory
- Truesec Penetration Test Results
- CVE-2025-0360 in NVD database

Conclusion

While this vulnerability may not have immediate ramifications, it serves as a reminder to companies and software developers to remain vigilant with their security measures. To stay up-to-date on the latest security news and learn more about protecting your systems, be sure to follow industry best practices, conduct periodic penetration tests, and apply patches in a timely manner.

Timeline

Published on: 03/04/2025 06:15:30 UTC
Last modified on: 03/26/2025 12:09:06 UTC