CVE-2024-51240Public exploit

Root command execution via unrestricted JSON-RPC sys export

Published Nov 5, 2024 · Updated Nov 6, 2024

Privilege escalation in OpenWrt LuCI allows remote authenticated users with an admin account to execute commands as root via JSON-RPC. The rpc_sys handler clones the full luci.sys module, including its exec function, and exposes that unrestricted function through the /rpc/sys endpoint. Valid admin credentials and an authentication token are required; successful calls run commands with root privileges on the device.

CVSS severity8.0
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in OpenWrt LuCI allows remote authenticated users with an admin account to execute commands as root via JSON-RPC. The rpc_sys handler clones the full luci.sys module, including its exec function, and exposes that unrestricted function through the /rpc/sys endpoint. Valid admin credentials and an authentication token are required; successful calls run commands with root privileges on the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-51240
Published
Nov 5, 2024
Updated
Nov 6, 2024
Vendor
OpenWrt
Product
LuCI
Classifications
CWE-522, T1059
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 5, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <*

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenWrt · LuCIversion=0 <*

Published CVSS scores

8.0CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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