Micro820®, Micro850®, Micro870®: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference
CVE-2025-13824 is a high-severity release of invalid pointer or reference vulnerability in Micro820®, Micro850®, Micro870® from Rockwell Automation, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Micro820®, Micro850®, Micro870® versions: V23.011 and below; V12.013 and lower; V14.011 and lower. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Micro820®, Micro850®, Micro870® you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on rockwellautomation.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockwell Automation | Micro820®, Micro850®, Micro870® | V23.011 and below; V12.013 and lower; V14.011 and lower | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (rockwellautomation.com).
Official description
A security issue exists due to improper handling of malformed CIP packets during fuzzing. The controller enters a hard fault with solid red Fault LED and becomes unresponsive. Upon power cycle, the controller will enter recoverable fault where the MS LED and Fault LED become flashing red and reports fault code 0xF019. To recover, clear the fault.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference
The product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Only call matching memory management functions. Do not mix and match routines. For example, when you allocate a buffer with malloc(), dispose of the original pointer with free().
- When programming in C++, consider using smart pointers provided by the boost library to help correctly and consistently manage memory.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, glibc in Linux provides protection against free of invalid pointers.
More Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference vulnerabilities (CWE-763)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Recent Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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