CVE-2025-41708: Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2025-41708 Overview

CVE-2025-41708 is an insecure default configuration vulnerability where HTTP is used instead of HTTPS for the web interface. This misconfiguration allows an unauthenticated attacker on the same network to intercept and learn sensitive data during transmission, potentially compromising credentials, session tokens, and other confidential information.

Critical Impact

Sensitive data transmitted over the web interface can be intercepted by network-adjacent attackers, leading to credential theft and potential system compromise.

Affected Products

• Web interface components with default HTTP configuration
• Systems deployed without HTTPS enforcement
• Network devices with insecure transport layer defaults

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-09-08 - CVE CVE-2025-41708 published to NVD
• 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-41708

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information), which occurs when software transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext over a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors. The insecure default configuration means that upon deployment, the web interface operates over unencrypted HTTP rather than HTTPS, leaving all communications vulnerable to interception.

The attack requires network adjacency, meaning the attacker must be on the same network segment as either the target system or a user accessing the vulnerable web interface. While this limits the attack scope compared to fully remote vulnerabilities, enterprise and industrial networks often have multiple users and devices on shared network segments, making exploitation practical in real-world scenarios.

The potential impact includes exposure of authentication credentials, session cookies, API tokens, and any sensitive data displayed or submitted through the web interface. Attackers could leverage captured credentials to gain unauthorized access to the system or perform session hijacking attacks.

Root Cause

The root cause is an insecure default configuration where the web interface is configured to use HTTP (port 80) instead of HTTPS (port 443) out of the box. This design decision prioritizes ease of initial setup over security, leaving administrators who do not explicitly configure TLS/SSL certificates vulnerable to network-based attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires the attacker to be positioned on the same network segment to perform traffic interception. An attacker would typically use network sniffing tools to capture unencrypted HTTP traffic between legitimate users and the web interface. Common attack scenarios include:

• ARP spoofing to redirect traffic through the attacker's machine
• Passive monitoring on shared network segments
• Compromised network infrastructure enabling traffic mirroring
• Rogue access points in wireless environments

Once positioned, the attacker can capture login credentials, session tokens, and sensitive configuration data transmitted in cleartext.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-41708

Indicators of Compromise

• Network traffic analysis showing unencrypted HTTP connections to administrative web interfaces on port 80
• Unusual ARP traffic patterns indicating potential man-in-the-middle positioning
• Unexpected network scanning activity targeting HTTP services
• Authentication failures following periods of successful logins (indicating credential theft)

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic for HTTP connections to known administrative interfaces that should use HTTPS
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) rules to alert on cleartext credential patterns in network traffic
• Audit system configurations to identify web interfaces running without TLS/SSL enabled
• Review web server logs for connections from unexpected source addresses

Monitoring Recommendations

• Implement network segmentation monitoring to detect lateral movement attempts
• Enable logging of all authentication attempts on affected web interfaces
• Configure SIEM alerts for HTTP traffic to administrative interfaces
• Conduct regular network traffic analysis to identify unencrypted sensitive communications

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-41708

Immediate Actions Required

• Enable HTTPS by configuring valid TLS/SSL certificates on all affected web interfaces
• Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS using server-side redirects (HTTP 301/302)
• Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers to prevent protocol downgrade attacks
• Segment network access to administrative interfaces using VLANs or firewalls

Patch Information

Refer to the CERT-VDE Security Advisory for vendor-specific guidance on enabling HTTPS and applying configuration updates to address this vulnerability.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy with TLS termination in front of affected web interfaces
• Restrict network access to the web interface to trusted management networks only
• Use VPN connections when accessing the web interface remotely
• Implement network-level encryption (IPsec) as an additional layer of protection

# Example: Force HTTPS redirect in Apache configuration
# Add to httpd.conf or virtual host configuration
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName your-server.example.com
    Redirect permanent / https://your-server.example.com/
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName your-server.example.com
    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /path/to/certificate.crt
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /path/to/private.key
    Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"
</VirtualHost>