CVE-2025-28381 is a vulnerability identified in OpenC3 COSMOS, a platform used for container orchestration and automation, affecting all versions before 6.0.2. The vulnerability involves the leakage of service credentials that are stored as environment variables within all containers managed by the platform. Environment variables are commonly used to pass configuration data, including sensitive credentials, to containers; however, in this case, OpenC3 COSMOS improperly exposes these credentials, allowing any attacker with network access to retrieve them without requiring authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-526, which pertains to the exposure of credentials in an insecure manner. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, indicating a high severity level, with the vector showing network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), and no impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). Although no exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability's characteristics make it a significant risk, especially in environments where containers are widely used and service credentials are critical for operations. The lack of authentication and user interaction requirements means attackers can remotely and easily exploit this flaw to gain access to sensitive credentials, potentially leading to further compromise of systems and data.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-28381 is substantial due to the potential exposure of sensitive service credentials that could lead to unauthorized access to internal services, data breaches, and lateral movement within networks. Organizations relying on OpenC3 COSMOS for container orchestration, particularly in sectors such as finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure, face increased risk of compromise. Credential leakage undermines confidentiality and can facilitate subsequent attacks like privilege escalation or data exfiltration. The vulnerability's network accessibility and lack of required privileges mean attackers can exploit it remotely, increasing the attack surface. This is particularly concerning for European entities subject to strict data protection regulations like GDPR, where credential exposure could result in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, the widespread adoption of containerized environments in Europe amplifies the potential scope and impact of this vulnerability.

To mitigate CVE-2025-28381, European organizations should immediately upgrade OpenC3 COSMOS to version 6.0.2 or later, where the credential leakage issue has been addressed. Until the patch is applied, organizations should audit container configurations to identify and remove any sensitive credentials stored as environment variables. Implementing secrets management solutions that avoid embedding credentials directly in environment variables is recommended, such as using dedicated secret stores or vaults with controlled access. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit exposure of container management interfaces to trusted networks only. Monitoring and logging access to container environments can help detect suspicious activities related to credential access. Additionally, organizations should review and rotate any potentially exposed credentials to prevent misuse. Security teams should also educate developers and operators about secure handling of credentials in containerized environments to prevent similar issues.