Maximum severity Remote Code Execution flaw in MITRE Caldera Framework
Take action: If you are running MITRE Caldera, it's time to patch ASAP. The cat is out of the bag and there will be an exploit in Metasploit soon. Don't allow hackers to breach you through your own security testing tools.
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A maximum remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-27364 (CVSS score 10), has been discovered affecting all versions of MITRE Caldera before commit 35bc06e. This security flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on servers running the Caldera framework.
MITRE Caldera is an open-source cybersecurity platform designed for automated adversary emulation, helping security teams test and improve their defenses against cyber threats.
The vulnerability exists in the dynamic compilation functionality of Caldera's Manx and Sandcat agents (implants). These agents are small reverse shells that connect back to Caldera and execute commands during operations. The issue stems from insufficient security restrictions and input sanitization in the agent compilation process.
For exploitation to succeed, the target system must have Go, Python, and GCC installed - all of which are typically required for Caldera to function properly. The vulnerability can be exploited through an unauthenticated HTTP endpoint that serves agent downloads.
Researchers discovered that by manipulating linker flags during the dynamic compilation process, specifically abusing the "-extld" and "-extldflags" parameters in conjunction with GCC's "-wrapper" functionality, attackers can execute arbitrary commands on the Caldera server.
Security experts warn that this vulnerability poses significant risks, particularly because Caldera is widely used by security teams for adversary emulation and defense testing and the tool often runs with elevated privileges across organizational networks. Exploitation requires no authentication and can be triggered with a simple curl command.
The MITRE Caldera team has patched this vulnerability and recommends users:
- Immediately update to the latest version (Master branch or v5.1.0+)
- Avoid exposing Caldera instances to the internet
Security teams should also investigate for potential compromise if they've been running vulnerable versions, particularly if their Caldera instance was internet-accessible.
The researcher who discovered the vulnerability, Dawid Kulikowski, intends to release a fully-featured Metasploit module in the coming weeks, making exploitation even more accessible to attackers.
