CVE-2021-47662 is a security vulnerability identified in the Franka Emika Robot, a robotic system developed by Franka Robotics. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862, which indicates a missing authorization control. Specifically, this flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to connect to the robot via HTTPS and trigger the shutdown button without any authentication or authorization checks. This results in a Denial of Service (DoS) condition where the robot is forced to shut down unexpectedly. The affected product version is listed as 0.0.0, which likely indicates an early or initial release version. The vulnerability does not require any user interaction or prior authentication, making it accessible remotely by any attacker who can reach the robot’s HTTPS interface. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the lack of authorization on a critical control function such as shutdown presents a significant risk. The vulnerability was reserved and published in early 2025, with CERTVDE as the assigner, and has been enriched by CISA, indicating recognition by major cybersecurity authorities. The absence of a patch link suggests that no official fix has been released at the time of this report. Overall, this vulnerability exposes the robot to remote shutdown attacks that can disrupt operations and potentially cause safety or operational hazards in environments where these robots are deployed.

For European organizations utilizing Franka Emika Robots, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to operational continuity and safety. The ability for an unauthenticated attacker to remotely shut down the robot can lead to unexpected halts in manufacturing lines, research labs, or other automated environments where these robots are deployed. This disruption can cause production delays, financial losses, and potential safety incidents if the robot is performing critical or hazardous tasks. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are minimal since the vulnerability does not provide data access or manipulation capabilities. However, availability is directly impacted due to forced shutdowns. In sectors such as automotive manufacturing, electronics assembly, or advanced research institutions in Europe that rely on robotic automation, this could degrade operational efficiency and increase downtime. Additionally, the lack of authentication could allow attackers to perform repeated shutdowns, amplifying the disruption. While no exploits are known in the wild, the ease of exploitation and remote accessibility make it a credible threat. Organizations with robots exposed to external or insufficiently segmented networks are at higher risk. The medium severity rating reflects the limited scope to DoS rather than data breach but does not diminish the operational impact in critical industrial environments.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement network segmentation and strict access controls to isolate Franka Emika Robots from untrusted networks, especially the internet. Robots should be placed behind firewalls with rules restricting HTTPS access to authorized management stations only. Employing VPNs or secure tunnels for remote access can add an authentication layer not present in the robot’s native interface. Monitoring network traffic for unusual HTTPS connection attempts to the robot can help detect exploitation attempts. Until an official patch is released, organizations should consider disabling remote HTTPS access if operationally feasible or restricting it to internal trusted networks. Additionally, implementing physical security controls to prevent unauthorized local access and ensuring that robots are shut down or restarted only by authorized personnel can reduce risk. Organizations should engage with Franka Robotics for updates and patches and apply them promptly once available. Finally, incorporating anomaly detection systems that monitor robot behavior for unexpected shutdown commands can provide early warning of exploitation attempts.