CVE-2025-54923: Unsafe Deserialization RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-54923 Overview

CVE-2025-54923 is a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability [CWE-502] disclosed in a Schneider Electric product through security notice SEVD-2025-224-02. The flaw exists in a network-exposed service that performs unsafe deserialization of user-supplied input. Authenticated attackers can send crafted serialized data to trigger remote code execution and compromise system integrity. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v4.0 score of 8.7, reflecting network reach, low attack complexity, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the vulnerable component.

Critical Impact
Authenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary code on the affected service by sending crafted serialized objects, leading to full compromise of system integrity.

Affected Products

Schneider Electric product covered by security notice SEVD-2025-224-02 (refer to vendor advisory for exact product and firmware versions)

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-20 - CVE-2025-54923 published to NVD
2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-54923

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from unsafe deserialization in a network-exposed service. When the service receives serialized objects from authenticated clients, it reconstructs them without validating the object types or contents. Attackers exploit this behavior by submitting gadget chains that invoke arbitrary methods during deserialization. The result is remote code execution within the process context of the vulnerable service. Because the attack vector is network-based and authentication requirements are limited to standard low-privilege credentials, any compromised account on the management network can reach the exposed endpoint.

Root Cause

The root cause is the use of an unsafe deserialization routine that accepts arbitrary class types without an allowlist or integrity check. Modern deserialization libraries require strict type binding or signed payloads to prevent gadget chain abuse. The affected service performs neither, allowing attacker-controlled object graphs to drive execution flow during reconstruction.

Attack Vector

An authenticated attacker with network access to the affected service crafts a serialized payload containing a gadget chain. The attacker delivers the payload to the deserialization endpoint over the network. During deserialization, the gadget chain executes attacker-controlled code in the service process. No user interaction is required, and exploitation does not require administrative privileges.

No verified public exploit code is available at the time of writing. Refer to the Schneider Electric Security Notice SEVD-2025-224-02 for vendor-supplied technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54923

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by the affected service account, particularly shells or scripting interpreters such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or /bin/sh.
Inbound network traffic to the deserialization endpoint from unusual source addresses or non-administrative hosts.
Serialized object payloads in service logs that reference reflection, runtime execution, or process invocation classes.

Detection Strategies

Inspect application logs for deserialization exceptions, class-not-found errors, or unusually large object payloads on the affected service.
Monitor authenticated sessions that immediately precede process creation events on hosts running the affected service.
Apply network signatures for known gadget chain class names (for example, TransformedMap, InvokerTransformer, ObjectInputStream) traversing the management network.

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize logs from the affected service and correlate authentication events with subsequent process and network activity.
Alert on outbound connections initiated by the service process to non-approved destinations, which often indicate post-exploitation callbacks.
Baseline normal command-line activity for the service account and flag deviations.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54923

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fixed firmware or software version published in SEVD-2025-224-02 as soon as a maintenance window allows.
Restrict network access to the affected service to a small set of administrative hosts using firewall rules or VLAN segmentation.
Rotate credentials for any account authorized to reach the deserialization endpoint, since low-privilege accounts are sufficient for exploitation.

Patch Information

Schneider Electric documents the fixed versions and remediation guidance in security notice SEVD-2025-224-02. Consult the advisory for exact build numbers, upgrade procedures, and any product-specific prerequisites before deploying the patch in production environments.

Workarounds

Disable the network-exposed service if it is not required for operations.
Place the affected device behind a jump host and require multi-factor authentication for any session that can reach the service port.
Apply strict ingress filtering at the perimeter and within operational technology zones to block untrusted clients from initiating sessions to the vulnerable endpoint.

bash

# Example: restrict access to the affected service port using iptables
# Replace <SERVICE_PORT> and <ADMIN_SUBNET> with the values for your environment
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <SERVICE_PORT> -s <ADMIN_SUBNET> -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <SERVICE_PORT> -j DROP