CVE-2025-41665
📋 TL;DR
An attacker with low-privileged remote access can trigger a watchdog reboot on affected PLC devices due to incorrect default permissions on a configuration file. This vulnerability affects industrial control systems using vulnerable PLC devices, potentially causing operational disruption.
💻 Affected Systems
- Specific PLC models from affected vendor (exact models not specified in provided reference)
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Continuous denial-of-service attacks causing repeated PLC reboots, leading to extended industrial process downtime and potential safety incidents in critical infrastructure.
Likely Case
Temporary disruption of PLC operations causing brief process interruptions, requiring manual intervention to restore normal operation.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper network segmentation and access controls preventing low-privileged attackers from reaching vulnerable systems.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires low-privileged access but is technically simple once access is obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Vendor-specific firmware update (check vendor advisory)
Vendor Advisory: https://certvde.com/en/advisories/VDE-2025-054
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check vendor advisory for specific affected models. 2. Download latest firmware from vendor portal. 3. Apply firmware update following vendor procedures. 4. Verify file permissions on configuration files post-update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict network access
allImplement strict network segmentation to isolate PLCs from untrusted networks
Modify file permissions
linuxChange permissions on vulnerable configuration file to prevent unauthorized write access
chmod 644 /path/to/config/file
chown root:root /path/to/config/file
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation with firewalls between PLCs and other networks
- Apply principle of least privilege to all user accounts with PLC access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if configuration file has world-writable permissions: ls -la /path/to/config/fileCheck Version:
Vendor-specific command (check PLC documentation)Verify Fix Applied:
Verify file permissions are restricted and firmware version matches patched version📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected PLC reboots
- Multiple failed authentication attempts to PLC
- Configuration file modification events
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic to PLC watchdog service ports
- Repeated connection attempts from unauthorized sources
SIEM Query:
source="plc_logs" AND (event="reboot" OR event="watchdog_triggered")