CVE-2025-58776 Overview
CVE-2025-58776 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-121] affecting Keyence KV Studio versions 12.23 and prior. The flaw allows arbitrary code execution when the application processes a specially crafted file. KV Studio is engineering software used to program Keyence programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in industrial control system (ICS) environments.
Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening a malicious project file. Successful exploitation grants the attacker the privileges of the user running KV Studio, with high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected workstation.
Critical Impact
Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution on engineering workstations used to program industrial PLCs by tricking operators into opening crafted KV Studio project files.
Affected Products
- Keyence KV Studio version 12.23
- Keyence KV Studio versions prior to 12.23
- Engineering workstations running vulnerable KV Studio installations
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-02 - CVE-2025-58776 published to NVD
- 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-58776
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a stack-based buffer overflow [CWE-121] in KV Studio's file parsing logic. When the application loads a project or related file, it copies attacker-controlled data into a fixed-size stack buffer without enforcing proper length validation. The overflow corrupts adjacent stack memory, including saved return addresses and structured exception handlers.
An attacker who controls the contents of the file can overwrite control-flow data and redirect execution to attacker-supplied shellcode or to gadgets within the process. Because KV Studio runs on engineering workstations that typically have network access to PLCs and operational technology (OT) assets, compromise of these hosts provides a pivot into industrial control networks.
The attack requires local access in the sense that the malicious file must be opened on the target system, but delivery can be achieved remotely through phishing, shared drives, or supply-chain insertion into engineering project repositories.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing bounds checking when parsing untrusted file content into a stack-allocated buffer. The parser trusts length fields or terminators in the input file rather than validating them against the destination buffer size, enabling a classic stack smashing condition.
Attack Vector
An attacker crafts a malicious KV Studio file and delivers it to an engineer through email attachment, removable media, or a shared project repository. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable KV Studio installation, the overflow triggers and arbitrary code executes in the context of the user. The attack vector is local with user interaction required.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the Keyence Security Advisory and the JVN Vulnerability Report for vendor-provided technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-58776
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes of KV Studio.exe or related processes when opening project files, which may indicate exploitation attempts or unstable shellcode
- Child processes spawned by KV Studio that are not part of normal engineering workflows, such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or scripting interpreters
- Outbound network connections from the KV Studio process to non-Keyence infrastructure following the opening of a project file
- Newly created files or scheduled tasks on engineering workstations shortly after KV Studio file operations
Detection Strategies
- Monitor process lineage for KV Studio spawning unexpected child processes, which is uncommon during normal PLC programming activity
- Inspect KV Studio project files received from external sources for abnormal structure or oversized fields prior to opening
- Correlate engineering workstation telemetry with PLC configuration changes to detect unauthorized modifications following suspicious file activity
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line auditing and process creation logging on all engineering workstations running KV Studio
- Forward endpoint telemetry from OT-adjacent workstations to a centralized SIEM for cross-domain correlation
- Track file write and execution events in directories used to store KV Studio projects
- Alert on any KV Studio process making outbound connections outside the established OT network baseline
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-58776
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all engineering workstations running KV Studio and identify installations at version 12.23 or earlier
- Restrict KV Studio project files to trusted sources only and block delivery of such files through email gateways until patched
- Apply the principle of least privilege so KV Studio runs under standard user accounts rather than administrative ones
- Isolate engineering workstations from general corporate network traffic and limit their access to designated OT segments
Patch Information
Keyence has published guidance for affected KV Studio versions. Refer to the Keyence Security Advisory for the fixed version and update instructions, and to the JVN Vulnerability Report for coordinated disclosure details. Upgrade KV Studio to the vendor-supplied fixed release.
Workarounds
- Do not open KV Studio project files received from untrusted or unverified sources
- Validate the integrity and origin of all project files before loading them into KV Studio
- Use application allowlisting to constrain which executables can run on engineering workstations
- Segment OT networks so that compromise of an engineering workstation does not expose PLCs to lateral movement
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
