AXC F 1152: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CVE-2025-41670 is a high-severity uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in AXC F 1152 from Phoenix Contact, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version 2026.0.3 as the first without the flaw, so updating AXC F 1152 to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.19% 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
- Update AXC F 1152 to 2026.0.3 or a later version.
- Update AXC F 1252 to 2026.0.3 or a later version.
- Update AXC F 2000 EA to 2026.0.3 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Contact | AXC F 1152 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | AXC F 1252 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | AXC F 2000 EA | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | AXC F 2152 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | AXC F 3152 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | BPC 9102S | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | EPC 1522 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | RFC 4072R | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | RFC 4072S | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | VL3 UPC 2440 EDGE | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | VPLCNEXT CONTROL 1000 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | VPLCNEXT CONTROL 2000 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | VPLCNEXT CONTROL 3000 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
| Phoenix Contact | VPLCNEXT CONTROL 500 | before 2026.0.3 | 2026.0.3 |
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
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (cert.vde.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 8.7 | High | CNA (cert.vde.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA (cert.vde.com) |
Official description
A local user with low privileges may be able to influence the behavior of a privileged system service by manipulating configuration or application-related files located in user-writable areas of the filesystem. The affected service processes data from locations that are not sufficiently protected against modification by low-privileged users. As the service runs with elevated privileges, successful exploitation may result in a local privilege escalation.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
- When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
- Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.
More Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities (CWE-427)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in AXC F 1152
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
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