# CVE-2012-10041: WAN Emulator v2.3 Command Execution

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands via unsanitized input and escalate privileges to root using a vulnerable SUID binary.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w6rh-fp3w-8jj5

## What is CVE-2012-10041?

CVE-2012-10041 is a critical command injection vulnerability in WAN Emulator, published on 8 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

WAN Emulator v2.3 contains two unauthenticated command execution vulnerabilities. The result.php script calls shell_exec() with unsanitized input from the pc POST parameter, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as the www-data user. The system also includes a SUID-root binary named dosu, which is vulnerable to command injection via its first argument. An attacker can exploit both flaws in sequence to achieve full remote code execution and escalate privileges to root.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-10041?


## How do I fix CVE-2012-10041?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-10041 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-10041 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-10041 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WAN Emulator v2.3 Command Execution (metasploit)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-10041 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-10041 is a critical command injection vulnerability in WAN Emulator, published on 8 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-10041 exists.

Affected product: WAN Emulator. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-10041/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-10041/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-10041
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-10041
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-10041

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-10041/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.