CVE-2025-54860 Overview
CVE-2025-54860 affects Cognex In-Sight Explorer and In-Sight Camera Firmware. The devices expose a telnet-based management service on TCP port 23. This service handles operations such as firmware upgrades and device reboots and requires authentication.
The vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication failures on the telnet service [CWE-307]. An attacker with low privileges on an adjacent network path can trigger repeated login failures. This leaves the telnet service in an unreachable state and disrupts management operations on the affected industrial camera.
Critical Impact
An authenticated local attacker can render the telnet management service unreachable, blocking firmware upgrades and remote device reboots on Cognex In-Sight cameras deployed in industrial environments.
Affected Products
- Cognex In-Sight Explorer
- Cognex In-Sight Camera Firmware
- Industrial machine-vision deployments relying on telnet-based management
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-09-18 - CVE-2025-54860 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-54860
Vulnerability Analysis
Cognex In-Sight cameras expose a telnet server on TCP port 23 for remote administrative tasks. Authorized operators use this channel to push firmware updates and reboot the device. The service enforces credential-based authentication before granting access.
The vulnerability is an improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts [CWE-307]. Instead of gracefully throttling or resetting connection state after repeated failed logins, the service enters a state where it can no longer accept new connections. Successful exploitation causes a denial-of-service condition on the management interface without impacting confidentiality of stored data.
Exploitation requires local or adjacent network access with low privileges. The attacker does not need user interaction. The result is loss of integrity and availability for management operations on the affected camera, though the vision-processing function itself may continue running until the device is manually recovered.
Root Cause
The telnet service does not correctly manage failed login attempts. Repeated authentication failures exhaust internal state or resources tied to session handling. The service does not recover automatically, so subsequent legitimate connection attempts fail until the device is restarted through an alternate path.
Attack Vector
An attacker with network reachability to TCP port 23 and low-privilege credentials or access initiates repeated failed logins against the telnet service. Once the service enters the unreachable state, administrators lose the ability to perform firmware upgrades or issue remote reboots. Recovery typically requires physical or out-of-band intervention on the affected device.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. See the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-261-06 for vendor-coordinated details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54860
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual volume of failed authentication events on TCP port 23 directed at Cognex In-Sight cameras
- Loss of telnet connectivity to the device while other network services remain reachable
- Operator reports of failed firmware upgrade or remote reboot attempts against In-Sight assets
Detection Strategies
- Monitor OT network segments for bursts of TCP connection attempts to port 23 on In-Sight camera IP ranges
- Correlate telnet authentication failure logs from syslog collectors or ICS-aware network sensors with device unreachability events
- Baseline normal management traffic patterns so brute-force or repeated-failure activity stands out
Monitoring Recommendations
- Deploy passive ICS network monitoring to record all traffic to management ports on In-Sight devices
- Alert on any telnet session where authentication failures exceed a low threshold within a short window
- Track device reachability through ICMP or vendor health checks and pair alerts with connection logs for rapid triage
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54860
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict TCP port 23 access on Cognex In-Sight cameras to a dedicated engineering workstation subnet using firewall or VLAN access control lists
- Disable the telnet management service on devices where it is not operationally required
- Rotate credentials used for In-Sight management and enforce least-privilege access for operator accounts
Patch Information
Refer to the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-261-06 for vendor patch availability and firmware update guidance. Apply firmware updates released by Cognex for In-Sight Explorer and In-Sight Camera Firmware as soon as they are validated in a test environment.
Workarounds
- Place In-Sight cameras behind a properly segmented ICS network zone that blocks telnet from general enterprise or internet-facing networks
- Use a jump host with logging and multi-factor authentication as the only permitted source for telnet sessions
- Establish an out-of-band recovery procedure so a wedged telnet service can be restored without production downtime
# Configuration example: restrict telnet access to In-Sight cameras
# Example iptables rule allowing telnet only from engineering workstation
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -s 10.20.30.40 -d 10.100.0.0/24 --dport 23 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -d 10.100.0.0/24 --dport 23 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
