CVE-2025-11009 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) found in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's GT Designer3 Version1 software, which is used to program and configure Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) in the GOT2000 and GOT1000 series. The vulnerability affects all versions of the software and involves the insecure storage of sensitive credentials in plaintext within project files. These project files, which are used to configure HMI devices, contain authentication credentials that are not encrypted or otherwise protected. A local attacker without authentication privileges can access these project files and extract the plaintext credentials. With these credentials, the attacker can illegitimately operate or manipulate the GOT2000 or GOT1000 series devices, potentially impacting industrial control processes. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.1, indicating medium severity. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning physical or logical local access is required. The attack complexity is high (AC:H), suggesting that exploitation requires specific conditions or knowledge. No privileges are required (PR:N), and no user interaction is needed (UI:N). The impact is high on confidentiality (C:H) but does not affect integrity or availability. There are no patches currently available, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. This vulnerability highlights a significant security weakness in how sensitive information is stored within industrial automation software, posing risks of unauthorized device control if local access is obtained.

For European organizations, especially those in manufacturing, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors that rely on Mitsubishi Electric's GOT2000 and GOT1000 HMI devices, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access and control over industrial processes. The cleartext storage of credentials means that any insider threat or attacker who gains local access to engineering workstations or project files can extract sensitive authentication data. This could lead to unauthorized manipulation of industrial equipment, potentially causing operational disruptions, safety hazards, or production downtime. The confidentiality breach could also facilitate further lateral movement within industrial networks. Given the high attack complexity and local access requirement, remote exploitation is unlikely without prior network or physical compromise. However, the lack of encryption for credentials represents a fundamental security flaw that undermines trust in the affected software. European organizations with stringent regulatory requirements for industrial cybersecurity (e.g., NIS Directive compliance) may face compliance risks if this vulnerability is not addressed promptly.

1. Restrict local access to engineering workstations and project files to authorized personnel only, implementing strict physical and logical access controls. 2. Implement full disk encryption and secure storage solutions for project files to prevent unauthorized reading of sensitive data. 3. Regularly audit and monitor access logs on systems running GT Designer3 to detect any unauthorized file access or copying. 4. Use network segmentation to isolate engineering workstations from general IT and operational networks, limiting lateral movement opportunities. 5. Where possible, apply application whitelisting and endpoint protection to prevent unauthorized tools from accessing or extracting project files. 6. Engage with Mitsubishi Electric for updates or patches addressing this vulnerability and plan for timely deployment once available. 7. Educate staff on the risks of storing sensitive credentials in plaintext and promote best practices for credential management. 8. Consider implementing multi-factor authentication on devices and systems that support it to reduce the impact of credential compromise. 9. Backup project files securely and maintain version control to detect unauthorized modifications. 10. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on industrial control system environments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses.