Atomicorp WAF Research Note: CVE-2022-30525

Zyxel Firewall - OS Command Injection

CVE Details

• Already protected by existing Atomicorp WAF rules
• Protection status: Understanding Atomicorp WAF Protection Status
• CVE: CVE-2022-30525
• Name: Zyxel Firewall - OS Command Injection
• Severity: Critical
• CVSS: 9.8 (v3.1) (Critical)
• CVSS version: 3.1
• CVSS source: N/A
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • Attack vector: Network
  • Attack complexity: Low
  • Privileges required: None
  • User interaction: None
  • Scope: Unchanged
  • Confidentiality impact: High
  • Integrity impact: High
  • Availability impact: High
• CWE: CWE-78 — Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command (‘OS Command Injection’)
• Related CAPEC attack patterns (via MITRE CWE relationships): CAPEC-108 (opens in a new tab) , CAPEC-15 (opens in a new tab) , CAPEC-43 (opens in a new tab) , CAPEC-6 (opens in a new tab) , CAPEC-88 (opens in a new tab)
• Vendor: zyxel
• Vulnerable products: usg flex 100w firmware , usg flex 200 firmware , usg flex 500 firmware , usg flex 700 firmware , vpn100 firmware , vpn1000 firmware , vpn300 firmware , vpn50 firmware , atp100 firmware , atp100w firmware , atp200 firmware , atp500 firmware , atp700 firmware , atp800 firmware , usg flex 50w firmware , usg20w-vpn firmware
• CVE published: 2022-05-12
• CVE last modified: 2026-06-17
• Affected versions (NVD configurations):
  • usg flex 100w firmware: >= 5.00, < 5.30
  • usg flex 200 firmware: >= 5.00, < 5.30
  • usg flex 500 firmware: >= 5.00, <= 5.30
  • usg flex 700 firmware: >= 5.00, < 5.30
  • vpn100 firmware: >= 4.60, < 5.30
  • vpn1000 firmware: >= 4.60, < 5.30
  • vpn300 firmware: >= 4.60, < 5.30
  • vpn50 firmware: >= 4.60, < 5.30
  • atp100 firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • atp100w firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • atp200 firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • atp500 firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • atp700 firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • atp800 firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • usg flex 50w firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
  • usg20w-vpn firmware: >= 5.10, < 5.30
• EPSS: 0.9994; 100.0th percentile (FIRST (opens in a new tab) )
• CISA KEV: Listed (added 2022-05-16)
  • Known ransomware campaign use: Unknown
• Latest Update: 2026-09-06
• Selected Rule IDs observed: 344363
• Matching rules: 1; rules with blocking actions: 1
• Would-block Rule IDs: 344363
• Request surfaces inspected: JSON request data, Request argument names, Request arguments, Request cookies, SOAP request data, XML request data

Vulnerability Description

A OS command injection vulnerability in the CGI program of Zyxel USG FLEX 100(W) firmware versions 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1, USG FLEX 200 firmware versions 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1, USG FLEX 500 firmware versions 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1, USG FLEX 700 firmware versions 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1, USG FLEX 50(W) firmware versions 5.10 through 5.21 Patch 1, USG20(W)-VPN firmware versions 5.10 through 5.21 Patch 1, ATP series firmware versions 5.10 through 5.21 Patch 1, VPN series firmware versions 4.60 through 5.21 Patch 1, which could allow an attacker to modify specific files and then execute some OS commands on a vulnerable device.

Recommended Actions

1. Maintain the observed Atomicorp protections. Keep your Atomicorp commercial rules current and confirm that the selected observed rules (344363 ) have not been locally disabled. Atomicorp commercial rules are enabled by default. If you use Atomic WAF, review the applicable policy and rule settings.

2. Apply the vendor’s remediation. WAF protection is defense in depth and does not replace upgrading or following the affected vendor’s guidance.

   • Affected versions: Zyxel USG FLEX 100(W) firmware version 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel USG FLEX 200 firmware version 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel USG FLEX 500 firmware version 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel USG FLEX 700 firmware version 5.00 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel ATP series firmware version 5.10 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel VPN series firmware version 4.60 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel USG FLEX 50(W) firmware version 5.10 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • Affected versions: Zyxel USG 20(W)-VPN firmware version 5.10 through 5.21 Patch 1.
   • No specific CNA/vendor solution or workaround is included in the current CVE Record (opens in a new tab) . Review the vendor’s security advisories and supported-release guidance before making changes.
   • CISA KEV required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
   • CISA KEV federal remediation due date: 2022-06-06

3. Validate after changes. Confirm rule updates are current, review WAF events for the affected application, and test application behavior after vendor upgrades, mitigations, or local policy changes.

Research Notes

Atomicorp WAF protections are designed around attack techniques and exploit behaviors, allowing existing protections to apply across multiple vulnerabilities without requiring a unique rule for every CVE.

Public Vulnerability References

• NVD (opens in a new tab)
• CVE Record (opens in a new tab)
• Exploit or technical research: http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167176/Zyxel-Remote-Command-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)
• Exploit or technical research: http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167182/Zyxel-Firewall-ZTP-Unauthenticated-Command-Injection.html (opens in a new tab)
• Exploit or technical research: http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167372/Zyxel-USG-FLEX-5.21-Command-Injection.html (opens in a new tab)
• Exploit or technical research: http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/168202/Zyxel-Firewall-SUID-Binary-Privilege-Escalation.html (opens in a new tab)
• Vendor advisory: https://www.zyxel.com/support/Zyxel-security-advisory-for-OS-command-injection-vulnerability-of-firewalls.shtml (opens in a new tab)
• CVE authority reference: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-30525 (opens in a new tab)

Test or Research Source

• Source: http/cves/2022/CVE-2022-30525.yaml (opens in a new tab)
• Tags: cve, cve2022, firewall, kev, msf, packetstorm, rce, unauth, vkev, vuln, zyxel

Research Note Context

This research note documents exploit-technique analysis associated with this vulnerability and references Atomicorp WAF protections observed during engineering review, testing, or validation activities.

Atomicorp security controls are generally designed to identify and mitigate attack techniques and exploit behaviors rather than individual CVE identifiers. As a result, protections developed for one vulnerability may also apply to related attack variants and future vulnerabilities using similar techniques.

Learn More

Atomicorp develops commercially supported security technologies for web applications, servers, endpoints, workloads, and legacy enterprise platforms.

Organizations interested in protecting systems against exploit techniques associated with vulnerabilities such as this one can learn more about:

• Atomic ModSecurity Rules: commercially maintained WAF rules for ModSecurity deployments, including protections for web attacks, bots, scanners, malware, exploitation attempts, and emerging vulnerability classes.
• Atomic WAF: an enterprise web application firewall with Atomicorp rules, centralized management, reporting, authentication controls, and operational tooling.
• Atomic ModSecurity Integrator: a special licensing option for MSPs, MSSPs, OEMs, VARs, reverse proxy providers, and other integrators who want to incorporate Atomicorp ModSecurity rule technology into their own products or services.
• Atomic OSSEC: an enterprise OSSEC-based intrusion detection, compliance, and security monitoring platform.
• Atomic Protector: workload protection for Linux, web, cloud, data center, and hybrid environments.

For additional information, product evaluations, or technical discussions, visit https://www.atomicorp.com/ or https://modsecurity.io/ (opens in a new tab) .