CVE-2025-5095: Burk Technology ARC Solo Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-5095 Overview

CVE-2025-5095 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability affecting Burk Technology ARC Solo devices. The password change mechanism can be utilized without proper authentication procedures, allowing an attacker to take over the device. A password change request can be sent directly to the device's HTTP endpoint without providing valid credentials. The system does not enforce proper authentication or session validation, allowing the password change to proceed without verifying the request's legitimacy.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can remotely take complete control of affected Burk Technology ARC Solo devices by bypassing the authentication mechanism and changing device passwords without valid credentials.

Affected Products

• Burk Technology ARC Solo devices with vulnerable firmware versions
• ARC Solo broadcast automation and remote control systems
• ARC Solo-6 and related product variants

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-08-08 - CVE-2025-5095 published to NVD
• 2025-08-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-5095

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function. The Burk Technology ARC Solo device exposes an HTTP endpoint responsible for handling password changes. The fundamental security flaw lies in the complete absence of authentication verification before processing password modification requests. This design weakness allows any network-accessible attacker to send crafted HTTP requests directly to the password change endpoint without presenting valid credentials or maintaining an authenticated session.

The vulnerability enables full device takeover because once an attacker successfully changes the administrative password, they gain complete control over the device's configuration and operations. This is particularly concerning for Industrial Control System (ICS) environments where these broadcast automation devices are typically deployed.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the missing authentication mechanism on the password change HTTP endpoint. The device fails to implement proper security controls including:

• Credential verification before processing password change requests
• Session token validation to confirm authenticated user state
• Request origin verification to prevent unauthorized access
• Multi-factor authentication or challenge-response mechanisms

The application accepts password change commands from any source without verifying that the requester has legitimate authorization to perform such administrative actions.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker with network access to the vulnerable ARC Solo device can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to the password change endpoint. The exploitation flow involves:

1. Identifying a vulnerable Burk Technology ARC Solo device on the network
2. Crafting an HTTP request targeting the password change endpoint
3. Submitting the request with a new password value chosen by the attacker
4. The device processes the request without authentication and applies the password change
5. The attacker can then log in using the newly set credentials with full administrative access

Since no authentication is required, the attack can be executed by anyone with network visibility to the device, including remote attackers if the device is exposed to the internet.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5095

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected password change events or administrative lockouts on ARC Solo devices
• HTTP requests to password change endpoints from unauthorized or suspicious IP addresses
• Unauthorized configuration changes or operational modifications to broadcast systems
• Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful authentication with new credentials

Detection Strategies

• Monitor HTTP traffic to ARC Solo devices for unauthenticated password change requests
• Implement network intrusion detection rules to alert on access to sensitive administrative endpoints
• Deploy network segmentation monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to ICS devices
• Establish baseline behavior for administrative actions and alert on anomalies

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging on network devices providing access to ARC Solo systems
• Configure SIEM rules to correlate password change events with authentication logs
• Implement real-time alerting for any administrative changes to critical broadcast infrastructure
• Review access logs regularly for unusual patterns or unauthorized endpoint access

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5095

Immediate Actions Required

• Isolate vulnerable Burk Technology ARC Solo devices from untrusted networks immediately
• Implement network segmentation to restrict access to authorized management systems only
• Place devices behind a firewall or VPN to prevent direct internet exposure
• Monitor device access logs for signs of unauthorized password changes or exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Organizations should consult the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-219-03 for official remediation guidance. Contact Burk Technology directly for firmware updates or security patches that address this authentication bypass vulnerability. Review the Burk Products Overview page for product-specific security information and updates.

Workarounds

• Deploy network access control lists (ACLs) to restrict HTTP access to ARC Solo devices to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement a reverse proxy with authentication in front of the device's web interface
• Use VPN tunneling for all remote administrative access to the device
• Consider temporarily disabling the web interface if not operationally required until a patch is available
• Implement network-level monitoring to detect and block unauthorized access attempts

# Example firewall rule to restrict access to ARC Solo device (adjust IPs accordingly)
# Allow only trusted management subnet to access device
iptables -A INPUT -s 192.168.100.0/24 -d <ARC_SOLO_IP> -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -s 192.168.100.0/24 -d <ARC_SOLO_IP> -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -d <ARC_SOLO_IP> -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -d <ARC_SOLO_IP> -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP