CVE-2026-41551 Overview
CVE-2026-41551 is a path traversal vulnerability affecting Siemens ROS# in all versions prior to V2.2.2. The flaw stems from improper sanitization of user-supplied input, allowing remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected device. ROS# is a set of open source software libraries and tools for communicating between .NET applications and the Robot Operating System (ROS), commonly used in robotics and industrial automation environments. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-23 (Relative Path Traversal) and carries a CVSS v4.0 base score of 9.3.
Critical Impact
A remote, unauthenticated attacker can read arbitrary files on systems running vulnerable ROS# versions, exposing sensitive configuration, credentials, and operational data.
Affected Products
- Siemens ROS# — all versions prior to V2.2.2
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-12 - CVE-2026-41551 published to NVD
- 2026-05-12 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-41551
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability in ROS# allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to traverse the filesystem and retrieve files outside the intended directory scope. ROS# components expose interfaces that accept file path parameters from clients. Because these parameters are not properly validated or sanitized, an attacker can supply path traversal sequences such as ../ to escape the intended directory and reference arbitrary locations on the host.
The attack is performed over the network and requires no authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation results in disclosure of file contents accessible to the ROS# process. In robotics and industrial environments, this can expose ROS configuration files, application secrets, certificates, and source code used to control physical systems.
The vulnerability has a current EPSS score of 0.048%, indicating low observed exploitation probability at the time of disclosure. This does not reduce the severity of impact if a system is targeted directly.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation on file path parameters processed by ROS# (CWE-23). The library accepts user-controlled path segments and resolves them against the filesystem without canonicalizing or rejecting traversal sequences. Any ../ or absolute path component supplied by the attacker is interpreted literally during file resolution.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based with low complexity and no required privileges. An attacker sends a crafted request containing traversal sequences to a network-accessible ROS# endpoint. The component resolves the manipulated path and returns the contents of the targeted file. See the Siemens Security Advisory SSA-357982 for vendor-specific technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-41551
Indicators of Compromise
- Network requests to ROS# endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..\, or URL-encoded variants %2e%2e%2f.
- Unexpected file access patterns from the ROS# process targeting sensitive paths like /etc/passwd, configuration directories, or credential stores.
- Outbound transfers of large or unusual file content from systems running ROS# versions prior to V2.2.2.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect application and web server logs for request parameters containing traversal sequences directed at ROS# services.
- Deploy network signatures on IDS/IPS to flag traversal patterns in traffic to known ROS# ports.
- Audit file access by the ROS# process and alert on reads outside the expected working directory.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose request logging on systems hosting ROS# until they are patched to V2.2.2 or later.
- Correlate filesystem read events with inbound network requests to identify probable exploitation attempts.
- Monitor egress traffic from ROS# hosts for unexpected file exfiltration volumes.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-41551
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all systems running ROS# and inventory installed versions.
- Upgrade ROS# to V2.2.2 or later on all affected systems.
- Restrict network exposure of ROS# endpoints to trusted hosts only until patching is complete.
- Review logs for evidence of traversal attempts dating back to the deployment of vulnerable versions.
Patch Information
Siemens has released ROS# V2.2.2, which addresses the path traversal vulnerability. Refer to Siemens Security Advisory SSA-357982 for the official fix and upgrade instructions.
Workarounds
- Place ROS# services behind a network segmentation boundary that limits access to authorized clients.
- Apply firewall rules to block untrusted inbound connections to ROS# listening ports.
- Run the ROS# process with the minimum filesystem privileges required for operation to reduce the scope of accessible files.
# Configuration example: restrict access to ROS# endpoint with iptables
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 9090 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 9090 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
