Improper input validation in SpectoLabs hoverfly
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-78.
Summary
Hoverfly is an open source API simulation tool. In versions 1.11.3 and prior, the middleware functionality in Hoverfly is vulnerable to command injection vulnerability at `/api/v2/hoverfly/middleware` endpoint due to insufficient validation and sanitization in user input. The vulnerability exists in the middleware management API endpoint `/api/v2/hoverfly/middleware`. This issue is born due to combination of three code level flaws: Insufficient Input Validation in middleware.go line 94-96; Unsafe Command Execution in local_middleware.go line 14-19; and Immediate Execution During Testing in hoverfly_service.go line 173. This allows an attacker to gain remote code execution (RCE) on any system running the vulnerable Hoverfly service. Since the input is directly passed to system commands without proper checks, an attacker can upload a malicious payload or directly execute arbitrary commands (including reverse shells) on the host server with the privileges of the Hoverfly process. Commit 17e60a9bc78826deb4b782dca1c1abd3dbe60d40 in version 1.12.0 disables the set middleware API by default, and subsequent changes to documentation make users aware of the security changes of exposing the set middleware API.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpectoLabs | hoverfly | up to 1.11.3 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| — | github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly (Go) | up to 1.11.3 | — | No fix listed | GHSA-r4h8-hfp2-ggmf |
- hoverfly VendorSpectoLabs Affected up to 1.11.3 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly (Go) Vendor— Affected up to 1.11.3 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-r4h8-hfp2-ggmf
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:hoverfly:hoverfly:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 1.12.0 | Vulnerable | SpectoLabs |
- cpe:2.3:a:hoverfly:hoverfly:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.12.0 Vulnerable ·SpectoLabs
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-54123
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-r4h8-hfp2-ggmf
References
Patch 2
Other 5
- https://github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly/blob/master/core/hoverfly_service.go#L173
- https://github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly/blob/master/core/middleware/local_middleware.go#L13
- https://github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly/blob/master/core/middleware/middleware.go#L93
- https://github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly/pull/1203
- https://github.com/SpectoLabs/hoverfly
More SpectoLabs Hoverfly vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-34185 Hoverfly's WebSocket endpoint `/api/v2/ws/logs` reachable without authentication even when --auth is enabled. CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.8
- TI-2024-30437 Arbitrary file read in the `/api/v2/simulation` endpoint in hoverfly (`GHSL-2023-274`) CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2025-54123 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-54123 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r4h8-hfp2-ggmf · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences