CVE-2025-1384 is a high-severity vulnerability classified as a Least Privilege Violation (CWE-272) affecting OMRON Corporation's Machine Automation Controller NJ-series, specifically versions NJ101-[][][][] Ver.1.67.00 or lower. The vulnerability resides in the communication function between the NJ/NX-series controllers and the Sysmac Studio Software. Due to improper enforcement of privilege restrictions, an unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access and execute arbitrary code on the affected controllers. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 reflects a network attack vector (AV:N) with high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact includes low confidentiality and integrity loss but high availability impact, indicating potential disruption or denial of service to industrial control processes. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability's presence in critical industrial automation controllers used in manufacturing and process control environments makes it a significant risk. The lack of available patches at the time of publication further elevates the urgency for mitigation. The vulnerability could allow attackers to remotely manipulate industrial processes, potentially causing physical damage, production downtime, or safety hazards. Given the critical role of these controllers in automation, exploitation could have cascading effects on operational technology (OT) environments.

For European organizations, especially those in manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and critical infrastructure sectors relying on OMRON NJ-series controllers, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized manipulation of industrial processes, resulting in production halts, equipment damage, or safety incidents. The high availability impact could disrupt supply chains and cause significant financial losses. Confidentiality and integrity impacts, while rated low, still pose risks of unauthorized data access or manipulation within industrial control systems, potentially undermining trust in automated processes. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability without authentication increases the attack surface, particularly for organizations with controllers exposed to less secure networks or insufficiently segmented OT environments. European organizations with interconnected IT and OT networks may face increased risk of lateral movement by attackers leveraging this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity demands immediate attention to prevent potential targeted attacks or nation-state exploitation, especially given Europe's strategic industrial sectors.

1. Immediate network segmentation: Isolate NJ-series controllers from general IT networks and restrict access to only trusted management systems, minimizing exposure to untrusted networks. 2. Implement strict firewall rules and access control lists (ACLs) to limit communication to and from the controllers, allowing only authorized Sysmac Studio Software instances. 3. Monitor network traffic for anomalous activity targeting the communication ports used by NJ/NX-series controllers, employing intrusion detection/prevention systems tailored for OT environments. 4. Apply virtual patching via network-level controls if vendor patches are unavailable, blocking exploit attempts based on known attack signatures or unusual protocol behavior. 5. Conduct thorough asset inventories to identify all affected NJ-series controllers and prioritize them for remediation. 6. Engage with OMRON for timely updates or patches and plan for prompt deployment once available. 7. Train OT and cybersecurity teams on recognizing exploitation indicators and enforcing least privilege principles in OT system configurations. 8. Review and tighten Sysmac Studio Software configurations to minimize unnecessary communication privileges and ensure software is updated to the latest secure versions. 9. Establish incident response plans specific to OT environments to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation attempts.