CVE-2018-25117 VestaCP Debian Installer Malicious Backdoor Supply Chain Compromise
Attackers exploited a compromised installer to deploy DDoS malware and steal admin credentials on new VestaCP installations.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2018-25117?
CVE-2018-25117 is a critical vulnerability in Vesta Control Panel (CP), published on 15 Oct 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
VestaCP commit a3f0fa1 (2018-05-31) up to commit ee03eff (2018-06-13) contain embedded malicious code that resulted in a supply-chain compromise. New installations created from the compromised installer since at least May 2018 were subject to installation of Linux/ChachaDDoS, a multi-stage DDoS bot that uses Lua for second- and third-stage components. The compromise leaked administrative credentials (base64-encoded admin password and server domain) to an external URL during installation and/or resulted in the installer dropping and executing a DDoS malware payload under local system privileges. Compromised servers were subsequently observed participating in large-scale DDoS activity. Vesta acknowledged exploitation in the wild in October 2018.
Weakness: CWE-506
Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-25117?
How do I fix CVE-2018-25117?
No fix has been published for CVE-2018-25117 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2018-25117 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-25117 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-62gj-g63v-87h7.