Administrator code execution via unrestricted plugin upload
Published Aug 10, 2025 · Updated Aug 12, 2025
Improper validation in EMQX before 5.8.6 allows remote authenticated users with administrator access to execute code via a plugin upload. The Dashboard plugin installer accepts and starts an arbitrary uploaded Erlang plugin without a prior host-side allow command. Administrator Dashboard access is required, and EMQ disputes the vulnerability because plugin installation is intended behavior.
Summary
What happened
Improper validation in EMQX before 5.8.6 allows remote authenticated users with administrator access to execute code via a plugin upload. The Dashboard plugin installer accepts and starts an arbitrary uploaded Erlang plugin without a prior host-side allow command. Administrator Dashboard access is required, and EMQ disputes the vulnerability because plugin installation is intended behavior.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-52136
- Published
- Aug 10, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 12, 2025
- Vendor
- EMQ
- Product
- EMQX
- Classifications
- CWE-754, T1505
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 10, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 12, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <5.8.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- EMQX Dashboard malicious pluginfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo