Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessCompromise admin credentials
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DeliveryAccess management UI from adjacent network
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ExploitUpload malicious WAF rule file
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ExecutionTrigger command injection during file processing
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PersistExecute arbitrary OS commands
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ImpactEstablish persistence or pivot to protected backends
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Command injection prevention
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Authenticated administrator account with 'All' permissions on the LoadMaster appliance. Adjacent network access (AV:A) to the management interface, meaning attacker must be on the same network segment - achievable through VPN access with stolen admin credentials, internal network compromise, or physical presence on corporate networks. The vulnerable file upload functionality for custom WAF rules must be accessible to the authenticated user, which is the default configuration for accounts with 'All' permissions. These prerequisites significantly limit exploitation to scenarios involving credential compromise or insider threats rather than opportunistic internet-based attacks. The High Privilege requirement (PR:H) is the primary limiting factor - this is not exploitable by low-privilege or unauthenticated attackers. |
| Impact | Real-world risk is moderate-to-high but constrained by strict prerequisites. CVSS 8.4 (High) reflects severe potential impact with scope change (S:C), meaning compromise extends beyond the vulnerable component to underlying OS and potentially other network segments. However, exploitation requires PR:H (high privileges) - specifically an authenticated administrator account with 'All' permissions, which represents the highest privilege tier in LoadMaster. The AV:A (adjacent network) vector requires network proximity to the management interface, reducing internet-scale exposure compared to AV:N vulnerabilities. Attack complexity is low (AC:L) with no user interaction (UI:N), meaning once an attacker has the required admin credentials and network access, exploitation is straightforward. The absence of EPSS data and KEV listing suggests no confirmed widespread or active exploitation. However, the combination of command injection primitive, high-privilege admin access, and ADC deployment context (often protecting critical applications) makes this a priority for organizations using affected products. The Changed scope is particularly concerning - successful exploitation provides OS-level access that could pivot to backend protected resources. Primary risk is from insider threats, credential compromise of admin accounts, or attackers who have already established initial access and are escalating privileges. This is NOT a pre-authentication remote vulnerability despite the RCE classification. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has compromised credentials for a LoadMaster administrator account with 'All' permissions (through phishing, credential stuffing, or insider access) connects to the management interface from the adjacent network. They navigate to the WAF rule configuration UI and upload a specially crafted WAF rule file containing embedded OS commands such as reverse shell payloads or SSH key injection directives. The LoadMaster appliance processes the file without sanitizing the malicious input, executing the attacker's commands with the privileges of the web application process (likely root or administrative equivalent on the appliance OS). The attacker establishes persistent access, exfiltrates SSL/TLS private keys protecting backend applications, or pivots to backend servers that the LoadMaster is configured to protect. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Apr 20, 2026
OS command injection in Progress LoadMaster and related ADC products allows authenticated administrators with 'All' permissions to execute arbitrary commands via malicious WAF rule file uploads. The attacker exploits unsanitized input during the file upload process in the web UI. With CVSS 8.4 and scope change to 'Changed', successful exploitation enables complete system compromise beyond the vulnerable component. No active exploitation confirmed (not in CISA KEV) and no public POC identified at time of analysis. EPSS data not available for risk assessment.
RemediationAI
Apply security updates per Progress Software advisory at https://community.progress.com/s/article/LoadMaster-Security-Vulnerabilites-CVE-2026-3517-CVE-2026-3518-CVE-2026-3519-CVE-2026-4048-CVE-2026-21876. Exact patched versions are not specified in available data - consult the vendor advisory directly for release numbers and upgrade procedures. If immediate patching is not feasible, implement compensating controls: (1) Restrict access to the LoadMaster management interface to dedicated admin jump hosts or bastion servers on isolated VLANs, reducing the adjacent network attack surface. (2) Implement principle of least privilege by auditing administrator accounts and removing 'All' permissions where not strictly required, granting only specific functional permissions. (3) Enable detailed audit logging for all WAF rule file upload operations and monitor for anomalous file content patterns or unexpected command sequences. (4) If WAF custom rule uploads are not operationally required, disable this functionality through appliance hardening policies. Note that disabling custom WAF rules may impact security posture if legitimate custom rules are in production. (5) Deploy network segmentation to prevent lateral movement from ADC appliances to backend systems, limiting Changed Scope impact even if compromise occurs.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affects your stack
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Technical ContextAI · show details
This vulnerability affects Progress Software's Application Delivery Controller (ADC) suite, specifically LoadMaster, ECS Connections Manager, Object Scale Connection Manager, and MOVEit WAF. The flaw is rooted in CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command), meaning the application fails to sanitize user-controlled input before passing it to operating system command interpreters. The vulnerable code path exists in the WAF rule file upload functionality within the web management UI. When custom WAF rules are uploaded, the appliance processes the file contents without proper input validation, allowing shell metacharacters or command sequences to be interpreted by the underlying OS. The CVSS vector indicates Adjacent Network attack vector (AV:A), meaning the attacker must be on the same network segment as the management interface, though this is often achievable in enterprise environments through VPN access or internal network positioning.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionNVD
OS Command Injection Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in UI in Progress ADC Products allows an authenticated attacker with “All” permissions to execute arbitrary commands on the LoadMaster appliance by exploiting unsanitized input in a custom WAF rule file during the file upload process.
Executive ViewAI
Progress LoadMaster and related ADC products contain a command injection vulnerability affecting authenticated administrators that enables arbitrary system-level code execution through malicious WAF rule uploads, potentially compromising the entire infrastructure layer. Organizations running these load balancers face elevated risk of internal threat escalation and lateral movement if administrative credentials are compromised or insider threats exist. Immediate access control hardening is critical given the scope change (CVSS 8.4) and lack of available patches.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) Restrict administrative console access to named static IP ranges or VPN; (2) Disable or severely limit WAF rule file upload functionality if alternative deployment methods are available; (3) Implement authentication MFA for all administrative accounts with 'All' permissions; (4) Deploy file upload validation at the network perimeter to block suspicious rule file characteristics; (5) Segregate LoadMaster instances on isolated network segments to limit lateral movement post-compromise; (6) Enable comprehensive audit logging of all administrative actions and file uploads with SIEM correlation.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
OS command injection occurs when an application passes unsanitized user input directly into system shell commands.
Malicious file upload attacks exploit insufficient validation when web applications accept user-provided files.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
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EUVD-2026-23859
GHSA-pwx9-99jm-fx95
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB