CVE-2022-42718 is a high-severity vulnerability related to incorrect default permissions set on the installation folder of the NI LabVIEW Command Line Interface (CLI). LabVIEW is a system-design platform and development environment widely used for data acquisition, instrument control, and industrial automation. The vulnerability arises because the installation folder permissions are overly permissive, allowing authenticated local users with limited privileges to potentially escalate their privileges on the affected system. Specifically, this is a CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions) issue, where the access control settings do not properly restrict user actions on critical files or directories. An attacker with local access and some level of authentication could exploit this misconfiguration to gain higher privileges, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, indicating a high severity, with the attack vector being local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), and low privileges (PR:L). No user interaction is needed (UI:N), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories are currently linked, which suggests that organizations using NI LabVIEW CLI should proactively audit and adjust folder permissions to mitigate risk. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions, but given the nature of the issue, it likely impacts all installations with default configurations that have not been hardened. Since the vulnerability requires local authenticated access, remote exploitation is not feasible without prior access, but the risk remains significant in environments where multiple users share systems or where attackers can gain initial footholds through other means.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-42718 can be substantial, especially in sectors relying heavily on industrial automation, scientific research, and manufacturing processes where NI LabVIEW is commonly deployed. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to escalate privileges from a limited user account to administrative or system-level access, enabling unauthorized modification or disruption of critical control systems, data manipulation, or installation of persistent malware. This could lead to operational downtime, intellectual property theft, and compromise of sensitive research or production data. Given the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, organizations in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, automotive manufacturing, aerospace, and telecommunications are particularly at risk. The vulnerability also poses a risk in shared or multi-user environments, such as research labs or universities, where local authenticated users may have limited privileges but could exploit this flaw to gain elevated access. Although no remote exploitation is possible directly, the vulnerability could be chained with other attack vectors to deepen system compromise. The lack of available patches increases the urgency for organizations to implement compensating controls to prevent privilege escalation and limit lateral movement within networks.

To mitigate CVE-2022-42718, European organizations should undertake the following specific actions beyond generic advice: 1) Conduct a thorough audit of the NI LabVIEW CLI installation directories to identify and correct overly permissive folder and file permissions, ensuring that only necessary system accounts and administrators have write or modify rights. 2) Implement strict local user account management policies to limit the number of users with authenticated local access, especially on systems running LabVIEW CLI. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block unauthorized privilege escalation attempts. 4) Use system hardening guides to enforce least privilege principles on all workstations and servers hosting LabVIEW CLI, including disabling unnecessary local accounts and services. 5) Segment networks to isolate critical LabVIEW systems from general user environments, reducing the risk of lateral movement if an attacker gains local access. 6) Monitor system logs for unusual access patterns or permission changes in the LabVIEW installation directories. 7) Engage with NI (National Instruments) support channels to obtain any forthcoming patches or official guidance and apply updates promptly once available. 8) Educate local users about the risks of privilege escalation vulnerabilities and enforce policies against unauthorized software installation or configuration changes. These targeted steps will help reduce the attack surface and mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability until an official patch is released.