Detect CVE-2025-40551 — SolarWinds Web Help Desk Deserialization RCE in Sumo Logic CSE
Detects exploitation of CVE-2025-40551, a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability in SolarWinds Web Help Desk. Successful exploitation allows unauthenticated or low-privileged attackers to achieve remote code execution on the WHD server. This CVE is listed in CISA KEV, indicating active exploitation in the wild.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Initial Access Execution Persistence
Sumo Detection Query
_sourceCategory=windows/events OR _sourceCategory=sysmon
| where (ParentImage matches "*java*" or ParentImage matches "*tomcat*" or ParentImage matches "*whd*")
and (Image matches "*cmd.exe*" or Image matches "*powershell.exe*" or Image matches "*wscript.exe*" or Image matches "*certutil.exe*" or Image matches "*whoami.exe*" or Image matches "*curl.exe*" or Image matches "*mshta.exe*")
| fields _messageTime, _sourceHost, user, ParentImage, ParentCommandLine, Image, CommandLine
| sort by _messageTime descSumo Logic query for detecting potential CVE-2025-40551 exploitation by identifying suspicious processes spawned from SolarWinds Web Help Desk Java/Tomcat processes.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Administrative or update tasks initiated through the WHD service
- Monitoring and alerting tools running under the Tomcat process tree
- Legitimate shell invocations by Java-based automation in the WHD environment
- Security software scanning processes that spawn under the WHD parent
Other platforms for CVE-2025-40551
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Simulate WHD Deserialization RCE — Whoami Execution
Expected signal: ProcessCreate event with ParentImage=java.exe and Image=whoami.exe; captured by Sysmon EventID 1 or Defender DeviceProcessEvents
- Test 2Simulate WHD Deserialization RCE — PowerShell Reverse Shell Stub
Expected signal: ProcessCreate with ParentImage=java.exe, Image=powershell.exe, CommandLine containing '-NoProfile'; network telemetry if actual reverse shell payload used
- Test 3Simulate WHD Web Shell Drop via Java Process
Expected signal: FileCreate event for shell.jsp under WHD webapps directory, initiated by java.exe; Sysmon EventID 11 or DeviceFileEvents
- Test 4Simulate WHD Outbound C2 Callback from Java Process (Linux)
Expected signal: Network connection from java or curl process to external IP on non-standard port; captured by auditd, Falco, or network flow telemetry
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