CVE-2025-14377: Verve Asset Manager Info Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-14377 Overview

A security issue has been identified in the legacy Ansible playbook component of Verve Asset Manager where plaintext secrets are incorrectly stored while a playbook is running. This vulnerability (CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) exposes authentication credentials and other sensitive data to potential attackers who gain access to the system. The affected component has been retired and has been optional since the 1.36 release in 2024.

Critical Impact

Sensitive credentials and secrets stored in plaintext during Ansible playbook execution could be accessed by unauthorized users, potentially leading to credential theft, lateral movement, and compromise of connected industrial control systems.

Affected Products

• Verve Asset Manager (legacy Ansible playbook component)
• Verve Asset Manager versions prior to 1.36 (where component was not optional)
• Rockwell Automation industrial environments using Verve Asset Manager

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-20 - CVE CVE-2025-14377 published to NVD
• 2026-01-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-14377

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper handling of sensitive information within the legacy Ansible playbook component of Verve Asset Manager. When playbooks are executed, the system fails to properly encrypt or protect secrets, leaving them stored in plaintext format. This constitutes a classic CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) weakness that can be exploited by attackers who obtain local or network access to the affected system.

The vulnerability requires network access and high privileges to exploit, with some attack complexity present. However, successful exploitation can result in significant impacts to confidentiality and integrity of both the vulnerable system and connected downstream systems. In industrial control system (ICS) environments where Verve Asset Manager is commonly deployed, this type of credential exposure poses substantial risks to operational technology (OT) infrastructure.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the improper implementation of secret management within the Ansible playbook execution pipeline. During playbook runtime, credentials and other sensitive configuration values are written to storage in cleartext rather than being encrypted or securely handled in memory. This design flaw violates the principle of protecting sensitive data at rest and exposes authentication materials to unauthorized access.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring the attacker to have high privileges on the target system. An attacker with access to the Verve Asset Manager system could locate and read plaintext secrets stored during Ansible playbook execution. These credentials could then be used to:

1. Authenticate to other systems managed by the playbooks
2. Escalate privileges within the ICS/OT environment
3. Move laterally across the industrial network
4. Compromise connected Rockwell Automation industrial control systems

The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can impact the scope beyond the vulnerable component itself, potentially affecting connected systems that share the exposed credentials.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14377

Indicators of Compromise

• Presence of cleartext credential files in Ansible playbook working directories
• Unexpected file access patterns to playbook configuration or log directories
• Authentication attempts using credentials that should only be known to the Asset Manager system
• Anomalous access to the legacy Ansible playbook component after it was retired

Detection Strategies

• Monitor file system access to Ansible playbook directories for suspicious read operations
• Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) on directories where playbook secrets may be stored
• Review authentication logs for credential usage originating from unexpected sources
• Audit user access to Verve Asset Manager administrative interfaces

Monitoring Recommendations

• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor file access patterns on systems running Verve Asset Manager
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on access to sensitive playbook directories outside of scheduled execution windows
• Implement network monitoring to detect credential-based lateral movement from Asset Manager systems
• Enable detailed audit logging for all Ansible playbook executions

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14377

Immediate Actions Required

• Disable the legacy Ansible playbook component if not required for operations
• Rotate all credentials that may have been exposed through playbook execution
• Review access logs for signs of unauthorized credential access
• Upgrade to Verve Asset Manager version 1.36 or later where this component is optional and can be fully disabled

Patch Information

Rockwell Automation has issued guidance for this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the Rockwell Automation Security Advisory SD1767 for specific remediation instructions and patch availability. The legacy Ansible playbook component has been retired and has been optional since version 1.36 released in 2024. Organizations should upgrade to the latest version and ensure the legacy component is disabled.

Workarounds

• Disable the legacy Ansible playbook component entirely if operationally feasible
• Restrict network access to Verve Asset Manager systems using network segmentation and firewall rules
• Implement file-level encryption for any directories where playbook secrets may be temporarily stored
• Apply principle of least privilege for all user accounts with access to the Asset Manager system

# Verify Ansible playbook component status and disable if not required
# Consult Rockwell Automation documentation for specific commands
# Example: Review installed components
verve-asset-manager --list-components

# Restrict file permissions on playbook directories
chmod 700 /path/to/ansible/playbooks
chown root:root /path/to/ansible/playbooks