SIMATIC
Multiple Products
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC S7-PLCSIM V17 (All versions), SIMATIC STEP 7 V17 (All versions), SIMATIC STEP 7 V18 (All versions), SIM...
2025-08-12
Description
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC S7-PLCSIM V17 (All versions), SIMATIC STEP 7 V17 (All versions), SIMATIC STEP 7 V18 (All versions), SIMATIC STEP 7 V19 (All versions < V19 Update 4), SIMATIC STEP 7 V20 (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC V17 (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC V18 (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC V19 (All versions < V19 Update 4), SIMATIC WinCC V20 (All versions), SIMOCODE ES V17 (All versions), SIMOCODE ES V18 (All versions), SIMOCODE ES V19 (All versions), SIMOCODE ES V20 (All versions), SIMOTION SCOUT TIA V5
Remediation
Apply vendor security updates immediately. Monitor for exploitation attempts and review access logs.
---METADATA---
VENDOR: Unknown
PRODUCT: Unknown
AFFECTED_VERSIONS: See vendor advisory
CONFIDENCE: low
MISSING: versions, patch, exploit_status, technical_details
---END_METADATA---
Description Summary:
A critical authentication bypass vulnerability exists in specific API endpoints, allowing unauthenticated attackers to impersonate legitimate users if their identity is known.
Executive Summary:
An authentication bypass flaw in unnamed API endpoints permits unauthenticated attackers to assume the identity of legitimate users, resulting in a critical security risk.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-ID: CVE-2025-40805
Affected Software: Unknown
Affected Versions: See vendor advisory
Vulnerability: The vulnerability stems from a failure to properly enforce authentication checks on specific API endpoints, allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to bypass security controls and impersonate a valid user.
Business Impact
The CVSS score of 10.0 indicates a catastrophic risk level. By successfully impersonating a legitimate user, an attacker can perform any action the victim is authorized to perform, leading to full data compromise, unauthorized transactions, or total system compromise.
Remediation Plan
Immediate Action: Consult the vendor’s security advisory to identify the affected hardware/software and apply the necessary firmware or software patches immediately.
Proactive Monitoring: Monitor API access logs for irregular authentication patterns or unexpected user activity originating from unauthorized or unusual IP addresses.
Compensating Controls: Enforce strict API gateway authentication policies and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) where applicable to prevent simple identity impersonation.
Exploitation Status
Public Exploit Available: Unknown
Analyst Notes: As of Jan 13, 2026, there is no public information indicating active exploitation of this vulnerability. However, due to the nature of the flaw, the potential for exploitation is high.
Analyst Recommendation
This vulnerability represents the highest level of risk due to the potential for full authentication bypass. Organizations must verify their software inventories against the vendor's official disclosures and prioritize the installation of all available patches to mitigate this critical exposure.