# 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.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:N`)
- **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 available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 23 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-62gj-g63v-87h7

## 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 (Embedded Malicious Code)

## 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.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-25117 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-25117 exists.

Affected product: Vesta Control Panel (CP). 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-2018-25117/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25117/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-25117
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-25117
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-25117

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25117/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.