CVE-2025-9970: ABB MConfig Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-9970 Overview

CVE-2025-9970 is a cleartext storage of sensitive information in memory vulnerability [CWE-316] affecting ABB MConfig through version 1.4.9.21. The flaw allows an attacker with local access to recover sensitive data that the application retains in process memory without encryption or obfuscation. Because MConfig is a configuration tool used in industrial and building automation environments, exposed material can include credentials or device configuration parameters that downstream systems trust. Exploitation requires local access and some user interaction, which limits mass exploitation but keeps insider and post-compromise scenarios in scope.

Critical Impact
An attacker who can read process memory on a host running MConfig can extract cleartext sensitive information, enabling follow-on access to configured devices and services.

Affected Products

ABB MConfig versions through 1.4.9.21

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-08 - CVE-2025-9970 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-9970

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is categorized under [CWE-316: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory]. MConfig loads and processes configuration data, and sensitive fields remain in the process's addressable memory in cleartext form. Any actor with local privileges sufficient to read the process address space, produce a memory dump, or attach a debugger can recover this data. The attack vector is local, and successful exploitation depends on user interaction along with attacker-controlled preconditions, which raises the practical bar for exploitation.

Root Cause

MConfig does not apply in-memory protection primitives such as secure string handling, memory zeroization after use, or encryption of sensitive buffers. Values are held as plain byte sequences for the lifetime of the containing objects. When the operating system pages memory to disk, or when a crash dump is generated, these values can persist beyond the immediate runtime context.

Attack Vector

An attacker first needs local code execution or interactive access on a workstation running MConfig. From that position, the attacker enumerates the MConfig process, reads memory using standard operating system APIs, and parses out the cleartext values. Alternative paths include harvesting crash dumps, hibernation files, or swap files that captured the process state. Refer to the ABB Technical Document for vendor-specific technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-9970

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected process handles opened against the MConfig executable, particularly those requesting PROCESS_VM_READ rights.
Creation of memory dump files (.dmp, .mdmp) in user-writable locations shortly after MConfig runtime activity.
Execution of debugging or memory-inspection utilities such as procdump, Task Manager full-dump operations, or WinDbg on hosts where such tools are not part of the standard workstation image.

Detection Strategies

Monitor endpoint telemetry for cross-process memory reads targeting MConfig, correlating source process, user context, and command line.
Alert on the creation, staging, or exfiltration of process dump artifacts originating from engineering workstations.
Track use of Sysinternals or debugger binaries on operational technology (OT) adjacent hosts and flag deviations from approved change windows.

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest endpoint process, file, and authentication events into a centralized analytics platform to enable retroactive hunting once new detections are developed.
Baseline normal MConfig user sessions and alert on off-hours execution or execution by non-engineering accounts.
Audit local group membership on hosts running MConfig to detect unauthorized privilege changes that would enable memory access.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-9970

Immediate Actions Required

Inventory all hosts running ABB MConfig and confirm installed versions against 1.4.9.21 and earlier.
Restrict local logon and administrative rights on workstations running MConfig to a minimal, named set of engineers.
Disable or tightly control the use of debugging and memory dump tooling on affected hosts.
Rotate credentials and shared secrets that may have been handled by MConfig on potentially exposed workstations.

Patch Information

Consult the ABB Technical Document for the vendor's official remediation guidance and the fixed version, if published. Apply the vendor-supplied update to every affected host and validate the installed version after deployment.

Workarounds

Close MConfig immediately after configuration tasks complete to minimize the window in which sensitive data resides in memory.
Disable Windows automatic crash dump generation for the MConfig process, or configure dumps to a protected directory readable only by administrators.
Enforce full-disk encryption and disable hibernation on engineering workstations to reduce exposure of paged memory contents.
Segment engineering workstations from general corporate networks to limit lateral movement paths that lead to local access.

bash

# Configuration example: disable hibernation and restrict crash dump exposure on Windows engineering hosts
powercfg /hibernate off
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl" /v CrashDumpEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f