CVE-2025-27460 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting all versions of the Endress+Hauser MEAC300-FNADE4 device. The core issue is the lack of full volume encryption on the device's hard drives, such as BitLocker or an equivalent technology. This vulnerability allows an attacker with physical access to the device to bypass the Windows login authentication entirely by booting the device with an alternative operating system. Once booted externally, the attacker can freely read from and write to all files stored on the hard drives. This cleartext storage of sensitive information (CWE-312) exposes critical data confidentiality, integrity, and availability to compromise. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.6, reflecting its high impact and relatively low attack complexity, given physical access is required but no authentication or user interaction is needed. The scope is considered changed (S:C) because the attacker can affect resources beyond their initial privileges by circumventing OS-level protections. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to environments where these devices are deployed, especially in industrial or critical infrastructure settings where Endress+Hauser products are commonly used for process automation and measurement. The lack of encryption means sensitive operational data, configuration files, or proprietary information stored on the device can be extracted or modified, potentially leading to operational disruptions or data breaches.

For European organizations, especially those in industrial sectors such as manufacturing, utilities, oil and gas, and chemical processing, this vulnerability could have severe consequences. The MEAC300-FNADE4 is likely deployed in critical process control environments where data integrity and confidentiality are paramount. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could manipulate device configurations or extract sensitive operational data, leading to process disruptions, safety incidents, or intellectual property theft. The physical access requirement limits remote exploitation but insider threats or attackers with physical proximity could leverage this vulnerability. Given the interconnected nature of industrial control systems in Europe and the increasing focus on securing critical infrastructure under regulations like NIS2, this vulnerability could undermine compliance efforts and risk management strategies. Additionally, since the vulnerability allows full read/write access, attackers could implant malicious firmware or tamper with logs, complicating incident detection and response.

Mitigation should focus on both immediate and long-term controls. First, organizations should implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized physical access to devices, including locked cabinets, surveillance, and access logging. Second, where possible, enable full disk encryption on the MEAC300-FNADE4 devices; if the vendor does not currently support this, request or push for firmware updates or security patches that add encryption capabilities. Third, implement tamper-evident seals or intrusion detection mechanisms on device enclosures to detect physical breaches. Fourth, maintain rigorous inventory and asset management to quickly identify affected devices and prioritize remediation. Fifth, deploy network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous device behavior that might indicate tampering. Finally, establish incident response plans that consider physical compromise scenarios and include forensic readiness to analyze devices if physical tampering is suspected. Organizations should also engage with Endress+Hauser for any forthcoming patches or security advisories and apply updates promptly once available.