CVE-2025-41718 Overview
CVE-2025-41718 is a cleartext transmission of sensitive information vulnerability [CWE-319] disclosed by Murrelektronik. The flaw allows an unauthorized remote attacker to intercept login credentials in transit and gain access to the Web-UI of affected products. Because the affected devices transmit authentication data without encryption, any adversary positioned on the network path can passively capture credentials. Successful interception leads to full Web-UI access using the victim's account.
Critical Impact
A network-positioned attacker can capture plaintext credentials and authenticate to the device Web-UI without any user interaction or prior privileges.
Affected Products
- Murrelektronik products listed in advisory VDE-2025-091
- Refer to the Murrelektronik Security Advisory for the authoritative product and version list
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-14 - CVE-2025-41718 published to NVD
- 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-41718
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from the affected Web-UI transmitting authentication material over an unencrypted channel. When a user submits credentials to log into the management interface, the device accepts and returns them without enforcing transport-layer encryption such as TLS. An attacker with visibility into the network segment between the client and the device can passively observe the traffic and recover usernames and passwords in plaintext.
The issue is classified under [CWE-319] (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information). It is exploitable remotely over the network, requires no privileges, and needs no user interaction beyond a legitimate user attempting to log in. The confidentiality impact is high because captured credentials provide direct Web-UI access. Integrity and availability are not directly affected by the disclosure itself, although a follow-on authenticated attacker could alter device configuration through the Web-UI.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of mandatory encrypted transport for the Web-UI authentication flow. The interface either offers HTTP without enforcing HTTPS or fails to require TLS for credential submission, leaving authentication data exposed to anyone monitoring traffic.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires the attacker to observe traffic between an administrator workstation and the device Web-UI. Common positions include shared network segments, compromised switches, ARP spoofing on the local LAN, or intercepting traffic at any upstream hop. Once credentials are captured, the attacker replays them against the Web-UI to gain authenticated access.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. Refer to the Murrelektronik Security Advisory for vendor-supplied technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-41718
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected successful Web-UI logins from unfamiliar source IP addresses or at unusual times
- Configuration changes on the affected devices that do not correlate with authorized administrator activity
- Plaintext HTTP traffic on TCP/80 (or other management ports) carrying authentication parameters to affected devices
Detection Strategies
- Inspect network traffic to affected devices for HTTP POST requests containing credential fields, indicating cleartext authentication is still in use
- Correlate Web-UI login events with source IP geolocation and asset ownership records to surface anomalous sessions
- Use network sensors to flag any administrative protocol traffic to OT or industrial assets that is not encapsulated in TLS
Monitoring Recommendations
- Continuously monitor management VLANs for ARP spoofing, rogue switch port mirroring, and other man-in-the-middle precursors
- Alert on configuration export, firmware upload, or account creation events on Murrelektronik devices
- Forward device and network logs to a centralized analytics platform such as Singularity Data Lake for retention and correlation
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-41718
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the firmware updates referenced in Murrelektronik advisory VDE-2025-091 as soon as they are available
- Rotate all credentials used on affected devices, assuming they may have been exposed in transit
- Restrict Web-UI access to a dedicated management network reachable only by authorized administrators
Patch Information
Consult the Murrelektronik Security Advisory for the authoritative list of fixed firmware versions and upgrade instructions. Apply vendor-provided updates following standard change management procedures for industrial environments.
Workarounds
- Place affected devices behind a VPN or jump host so credentials never traverse untrusted segments
- Disable HTTP and require HTTPS for the Web-UI where the device configuration permits
- Segment management traffic onto an isolated VLAN with strict access control lists limiting which hosts can reach the Web-UI
# Example: restrict Web-UI access to a management subnet using iptables on an upstream gateway
iptables -A FORWARD -s 10.10.20.0/24 -d 192.0.2.10 -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -d 192.0.2.10 -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -d 192.0.2.10 -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
