On April 7, 2025, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added a new critical vulnerability, CVE-2025-3248, to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog. This vulnerability affects Langflow, a widely used platform for building agentic AI workflows. The flaw allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable servers, posing significant risks to organizations utilizing affected versions of Langflow.(Horizon3.ai, CVE CyberSecurity Database News)
CVE-2025-3248 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Langflow versions prior to 1.3.0. The issue resides in the /api/v1/validate/code
endpoint, which lacks proper authentication and input validation. This oversight enables remote, unauthenticated attackers to send crafted HTTP requests that execute arbitrary code on the server. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating its severity. (Daily CVE Reports, Vulert)
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from the post_validate_code
function in the validate.py
module. This function processes user-submitted code without verifying the user’s identity or sanitizing the input. As a result, attackers can inject malicious Python code that the Langflow server executes, leading to remote code execution (RCE). (Daily CVE Reports)
Impact and Exploitation
Exploitation of CVE-2025-3248 can lead to:
- Remote Code Execution: Attackers can execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially gaining full control.(TheSecMaster)
- Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to sensitive information stored on the server.(TheSecMaster)
- Service Disruption: Attackers can disrupt services, leading to downtime and potential financial losses.(TheSecMaster)
Given the critical nature of this vulnerability, immediate action is required to mitigate potential risks.
CISA’s Response
CISA’s inclusion of CVE-2025-3248 in the KEV Catalog underscores the active exploitation of this vulnerability. Under Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 22-01, federal civilian executive branch agencies are mandated to remediate this vulnerability by April 28, 2025. While BOD 22-01 applies to federal agencies, CISA strongly recommends that all organizations prioritize the remediation of vulnerabilities listed in the KEV Catalog.
Mitigation Measures
Langflow has addressed this vulnerability in version 1.3.0 by implementing authentication checks on the affected endpoint. Organizations using Langflow should:(Daily CVE Reports, SecVuln DB)
- Update to Version 1.3.0 or Later: Ensure that the latest security patches are applied.
- Restrict Access: Limit access to the
/api/v1/validate/code
endpoint to trusted users.(Vulert) - Implement Input Validation: Sanitize and validate all user inputs to prevent code injection attacks.
- Monitor Systems: Regularly monitor logs and systems for unusual activities that may indicate exploitation attempts.(CVE CyberSecurity Database News)
10 Recommendations to Prevent Similar Threats:
- Regularly Update Software: Keep all software and dependencies up to date to patch known vulnerabilities.
- Implement Strong Authentication: Ensure that all endpoints, especially those executing code, require proper authentication.
- Sanitize User Inputs: Validate and sanitize all user inputs to prevent injection attacks.
- Restrict Access: Limit access to sensitive endpoints and services to authorized personnel only.
- Conduct Security Audits: Regularly perform security assessments to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
- Monitor Logs: Implement logging and monitoring to detect suspicious activities promptly.
- Educate Staff: Train employees on cybersecurity best practices and awareness.
- Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs): Deploy WAFs to filter and monitor HTTP requests to web applications.
- Implement Least Privilege Principle: Ensure users have only the access necessary to perform their duties.
- Develop an Incident Response Plan: Prepare and regularly update an incident response plan to handle potential breaches effectively.
Conclusion:
The discovery and active exploitation of CVE-2025-3248 highlight the critical importance of proactive cybersecurity measures. Organizations must remain vigilant, ensuring that software is up to date, access is restricted, and systems are monitored for unusual activities. By implementing robust security practices and staying informed about emerging threats, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to such vulnerabilities.(Horizon3.ai)
For more detailed information and updates, refer to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog and Langflow’s official release notes.(ASEC)