Flodrix Botnet Exploits Langflow RCE Vulnerability: In-Depth Analysis
A newly discovered variant of the Flodrix botnet is actively exploiting a high-severity vulnerability in Langflow, a popular open-source platform for building LLM workflows. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-3248, enables unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) on exposed Langflow instances. This blog post provides a detailed breakdown of the exploit, the botnet’s behavior, and critical steps for mitigation.
Overview of the Exploit
CVE-2025-3248 is a critical flaw rated CVSS 9.8. It affects Langflow versions prior to 1.3.0, allowing unauthenticated users to execute arbitrary commands via HTTP requests to the server’s exposed interface.
Key Exploit Features
- Vulnerability type: Authentication bypass leading to remote code execution.
- Attack vector: Malicious HTTP requests to exposed Langflow APIs.
- Affected versions: All versions below 1.3.0.
- Exploit availability: Public proof-of-concept (PoC) published shortly after disclosure.
Flodrix Botnet Behavior
The Flodrix botnet, previously associated with the LeetHozer family and Moobot operators, has evolved to incorporate the Langflow exploit into its propagation mechanism.
Infection Workflow
- Target discovery:
- Scans the internet for unpatched Langflow instances.
- Payload delivery:
- Command and Control:
- Establishes contact with a remote server using:
- Direct TCP
- TOR proxies for anonymity
- Downloads encrypted payloads for further action.
Advanced Capabilities of Flodrix
The latest Flodrix variant includes enhanced features for evasion, control, and attack execution:
- Encrypted C2 communication: Uses symmetric encryption to disguise instructions.
- Obfuscated code: Harder to analyze and reverse engineer.
- Process inspection:
- Enumerates
/proc entries to detect honeypots or security tools.
- Self-deletion:
- Cleans logs and deletes itself after infection to avoid forensic detection.
- DDoS functionality:
- Supports various flood techniques like TCP, UDP, and HTTP floods.
Attribution and Threat Landscape
Flodrix is linked to the Moobot botnet ecosystem, known for exploiting IoT and cloud misconfigurations. Its integration of a Langflow vulnerability illustrates how threat actors rapidly adopt newly disclosed exploits to maximize botnet expansion and DDoS power.
Mitigation Strategies
1. Patch Immediately
- Upgrade to Langflow version 1.3.0 or later.
- Version 1.3.0 includes fixes for CVE-2025-3248 and was released in March 2025.
2. Restrict External Access
- Never expose development or admin interfaces to the internet without access controls.
- Use firewall rules to limit access to trusted IPs.
3. Monitor and Respond
- Look for unusual outbound traffic to suspicious IPs or TOR nodes.
- Scan logs for shell commands originating from unauthenticated sources.
4. Network Hardening
- Employ intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS).
- Segment critical systems to prevent lateral movement.
Conclusion
This Flodrix botnet campaign demonstrates the increasing speed and efficiency of exploit weaponization. A vulnerability disclosed with a patch in March was already being used by botnets in June to compromise servers for large-scale DDoS operations. Organizations using Langflow or similar web-accessible LLM development tools must prioritize rapid patching and exposure control.
Staying current with vulnerability disclosures, segmenting networks, and monitoring abnormal behavior are vital defense strategies in today’s threat environment.
Reference
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