CVE-2025-7230: Invt VT Designer RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-7230 Overview

CVE-2025-7230 is a type confusion vulnerability in INVT VT-Designer, a human-machine interface (HMI) configuration tool used in industrial automation environments. The flaw resides in the parser that processes PM3 project files. Attackers can trigger arbitrary code execution when a user opens a crafted PM3 file or visits a malicious page that delivers one. The issue was reported through the Zero Day Initiative as ZDI-CAN-25723 and published in advisory ZDI-25-481.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-7230 lets attackers execute arbitrary code in the context of the VT-Designer process, potentially compromising engineering workstations used to program industrial HMIs.

Affected Products

INVT VT-Designer version 2.1.13
INVT VT-Designer installations processing PM3 project files
Engineering workstations running vulnerable VT-Designer builds

Discovery Timeline

2025-07-21 - CVE-2025-7230 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-7230

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-7230 is classified as a type confusion weakness [CWE-843]. VT-Designer parses PM3 project files without properly validating the type of user-supplied data before operating on it. When the parser interprets a structured field as one type while the underlying data represents another, the resulting memory operations reference incorrect object layouts. Attackers can use this mismatch to control pointers, virtual function tables, or size fields consumed downstream. The outcome is arbitrary code execution inside the VT-Designer process with the privileges of the logged-in engineer.

Exploitation requires user interaction. A victim must open a malicious PM3 file or visit a page that delivers one, matching the CVSS vector's local attack vector and required user interaction. Compromise of an engineering workstation is significant because these hosts often hold project files, credentials, and network reachability into operational technology (OT) segments.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing type validation during deserialization of PM3 file structures. VT-Designer trusts embedded type indicators or object layouts without confirming they match expected schemas, allowing crafted fields to be reinterpreted as attacker-controlled objects.

Attack Vector

An attacker delivers a weaponized PM3 file through phishing, a compromised project repository, a supply chain hand-off, or a drive-by download. When the target opens the file in VT-Designer, the type confusion triggers and executes attacker-supplied shellcode.

// No verified public proof-of-concept is available for CVE-2025-7230.
// Refer to ZDI-25-481 for coordinated disclosure details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-7230

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by VT-Designer.exe, such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or rundll32.exe
PM3 files arriving from external email, file shares, or downloads outside sanctioned project repositories
VT-Designer process crashes or exception events immediately preceding suspicious process activity
Outbound network connections initiated by VT-Designer.exe to previously unseen destinations

Detection Strategies

Monitor process lineage on engineering workstations and alert when VT-Designer spawns interpreters or scripting hosts
Inspect PM3 files at the email and web gateway, flagging attachments delivered to engineering staff
Correlate file open events in VT-Designer with subsequent module loads or memory allocation anomalies

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable command-line and process-creation logging on all HMI engineering hosts and forward events to a central data lake
Track file-write events that create PM3 files outside sanctioned project directories
Baseline normal VT-Designer network behavior and alert on deviations such as outbound HTTP/S connections

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-7230

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict opening of PM3 files to trusted, verified sources and internal project repositories
Isolate VT-Designer engineering workstations from general-purpose browsing and email where possible
Apply least-privilege configurations so VT-Designer does not run with administrative rights
Review the Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-25-481 for current vendor guidance

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no vendor advisory URL is listed in the enriched CVE data. Refer to the Zero Day Initiative Advisory ZDI-25-481 and INVT vendor channels for updated firmware or software releases addressing CVE-2025-7230.

Workarounds

Block untrusted PM3 files at email gateways and endpoint file-download policies
Require file integrity verification before opening project files transferred between organizations
Use application allow-listing on engineering workstations to prevent execution of unauthorized child processes
Segment engineering workstations from OT networks until a vendor patch is installed and verified

bash

# Example: block PM3 files from untrusted sources at a mail or proxy gateway
# Adjust to match your gateway policy language
file.extension == "pm3" AND source.zone != "trusted_project_repo" -> action: quarantine