CVE-2025-1255 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-822 (Untrusted Pointer Dereference) found in RTI Connext Professional, a middleware product widely used for real-time data connectivity in industrial automation, aerospace, defense, and other critical sectors. The flaw exists in the core libraries of Connext Professional versions 7.2.0 up to but not including 7.3.0.9, and 7.4.0 up to but not including 7.6.0. The vulnerability allows an attacker to manipulate pointers by exploiting untrusted pointer dereference, which can lead to memory corruption, potentially enabling unauthorized data access or denial of service conditions. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 8.3 (high), reflecting that the vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without authentication or user interaction, with high impact on confidentiality and availability, but no impact on integrity. The vulnerability does not require privileges or user interaction, making it easier to exploit in exposed environments. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the critical nature of the affected systems and the ease of exploitation make this a significant threat. RTI Connext Professional is commonly deployed in European industrial control systems and critical infrastructure, increasing the risk profile for organizations in these sectors. The lack of currently available patches necessitates interim mitigations to reduce exposure until vendor fixes are released.

For European organizations, especially those in industrial automation, aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive operational data (confidentiality impact) and disruption of real-time data flows essential for system availability. This could result in operational downtime, safety hazards, and potential cascading failures in interconnected systems. Given the remote exploitability without authentication, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain footholds in critical networks, potentially impacting national security and economic stability. The high availability impact is particularly concerning for sectors reliant on continuous real-time data exchange. Organizations using affected RTI Connext Professional versions must consider this vulnerability a priority for risk management and incident response planning.

1. Monitor RTI’s official channels closely for security patches and apply them immediately upon release. 2. Until patches are available, isolate systems running vulnerable versions of Connext Professional from untrusted networks to reduce exposure. 3. Implement strict network segmentation and access controls to limit communication to trusted entities only. 4. Deploy runtime application self-protection (RASP) or memory protection mechanisms to detect and prevent pointer manipulation attacks. 5. Conduct thorough code and configuration reviews to identify and remediate unsafe pointer usage where possible. 6. Enhance logging and monitoring for anomalous pointer dereference patterns or memory corruption indicators. 7. Train security and operational teams on the specifics of this vulnerability to improve detection and response capabilities. 8. Consider temporary disabling or restricting features of Connext Professional that handle untrusted input if feasible.