Critical Convoy Vulnerability Exposes Servers to Remote Code Execution by Attackers

A critical security flaw (CVE-2025-52562) in Performave Convoy’s LocaleController component allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable KVM server management systems.

The vulnerability, rated CVSS 10.0—the highest severity score—affects Convoy versions 3.9.0-rc.3 through 4.4.0.

Attackers exploit insufficient input validation in HTTP request parameters to traverse directories and execute malicious PHP files.

Exploitation Mechanics and Attack Vector

Attackers craft HTTP requests with manipulated locale and namespace parameters to bypass directory restrictions.

For example:

textGET /vulnerable-endpoint?locale=../../malicious&namespace=payload.php HTTP/1.1  

This payload leverages directory traversal sequences (../) to include unauthorized PHP files from server filesystems.

When mod_cgi or similar modules are enabled, attackers achieve remote code execution (RCE) by invoking system binaries through HTTP POST requests.

Successful exploitation grants full server control, enabling credential theft (e.g., .env files), data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor installation.

Impact and Affected Systems

The vulnerability compromises:

• Hosting providers are using Convoy for KVM server management.
• Data integrity: Attackers modify configurations, steal database credentials, and intercept API keys.
• Service availability: Malicious code execution can disrupt hosted services.
  All unpatched Convoy instances between versions 3.9.0-rc.3 and 4.4.0 are vulnerable.

Mitigation Strategies and Patches

The Convoy team released version 4.4.1 to patch the flaw. For immediate mitigation:

1. Upgrade: Deploy Convoy ≥4.4.1.
2. WAF Rules: Implement strict input validation:
   • locale parameter: Allow only "en_US en".
   • namespace parameter:
     • Block values containing .. or URL-encoded equivalents.
     • Permit only A-Z, a-z, _, ., and spaces.
     • Enforce length between 1–191 characters.

Administrators should prioritize patching due to the exploit’s low complexity and high impact.

Continuous monitoring for anomalous parameter patterns is recommended until upgrades are complete.

Find this Story Interesting! Follow us on LinkedIn and X to Get More Instant updates