CVE-2025-6074 in RMC-100
Summary
by MITRE • 07/03/2025
Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key vulnerability in ABB RMC-100, ABB RMC-100 LITE.
When the REST interface is enabled by the user, and an attacker gains access to source code and control network, the attacker can bypass the REST interface authentication and gain access to MQTT configuration data.
This issue affects RMC-100: from 2105457-043 through 2105457-045; RMC-100 LITE: from 2106229-015 through 2106229-016.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2025
The CVE-2025-6074 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in ABB RMC-100 and RMC-100 LITE industrial control systems where hard-coded cryptographic keys are embedded within the software implementation. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-320 category of "Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key" which is a well-documented weakness in security implementations where cryptographic secrets are hardcoded into application source code or configuration files. The affected systems are industrial control devices that manage critical infrastructure operations, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in operational technology environments.
The technical flaw manifests when the REST interface is enabled by system administrators, creating an attack surface that becomes exploitable when combined with other security breaches. An attacker who gains access to the source code and achieves control over the network can leverage this hard-coded key to bypass authentication mechanisms protecting the REST interface. This authentication bypass allows unauthorized access to MQTT configuration data which contains sensitive information about the system's communication protocols, broker configurations, and potentially other network parameters that control industrial processes. The vulnerability specifically impacts firmware versions ranging from 2105457-043 through 2105457-045 for RMC-100 models and 2106229-015 through 2106229-016 for RMC-100 LITE models.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to represent a significant threat to industrial control system security. In the context of the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to multiple tactics including privilege escalation and credential access, as attackers can leverage the hard-coded keys to gain elevated privileges and access to system configuration data. The compromise of MQTT configuration data could enable attackers to manipulate industrial communication protocols, potentially leading to process disruption, data manipulation, or even physical system damage in critical infrastructure environments. The vulnerability's exploitation requires an attacker to already have access to the source code and network control, but this combination of access vectors represents a realistic threat in advanced persistent threat scenarios where attackers have already established a foothold in the industrial network.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from ABB that address the hard-coded key issue through proper key management practices. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to these industrial control systems and employ zero-trust network architectures that minimize the impact of credential compromise. The remediation process must include comprehensive network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and proper key rotation procedures that align with NIST SP 800-57 guidelines for cryptographic key management. Additionally, system administrators should disable unnecessary interfaces such as the REST API when not actively required for operations, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in industrial environments and the critical need for proper cryptographic key management in embedded systems that control critical infrastructure operations.