CVE-2025-40567 is an authorization bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-863, discovered in Siemens RUGGEDCOM RST2428P and multiple SCALANCE series devices (including XCH328, XCM324, XCM328, XCM332, XRH334, and various XRM334 models) with firmware versions earlier than 3.2. The vulnerability specifically affects the "Load Rollback" functionality accessible via the device's web interface. Normally, only privileged users should be able to perform configuration rollbacks to restore previous device settings. However, due to an incorrect authorization check, an authenticated user assigned the "guest" role can invoke this rollback feature. This unauthorized rollback can negate configuration changes made by administrators or other privileged users, potentially reverting security settings or operational parameters to less secure or outdated states. The attack vector requires network access and valid guest credentials but does not require user interaction beyond authentication. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting the vulnerability's impact on integrity without affecting confidentiality or availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against industrial control systems (ICS) or critical infrastructure networks that utilize these Siemens devices. The affected devices are commonly deployed in industrial environments such as energy, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities, making this vulnerability relevant to operational technology (OT) security.

For European organizations, especially those operating critical infrastructure and industrial control systems, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to operational integrity. Unauthorized rollback of device configurations can lead to the reintroduction of insecure settings, disablement of security controls, or disruption of network segmentation policies. This undermines trust in device configurations and may facilitate further attacks by adversaries exploiting weakened defenses. Given Siemens' strong market presence in Europe’s industrial sectors—including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK—many organizations could be affected. The vulnerability could impact sectors such as energy production and distribution, manufacturing plants, transportation networks, and utilities, where these devices are integral to network reliability and security. The potential for an attacker with minimal privileges to alter device configurations without detection increases the risk of prolonged undetected compromise and operational disruptions. Although availability is not directly impacted, the integrity breach could cascade into broader operational issues or safety hazards in industrial environments.

1. Upgrade affected Siemens RUGGEDCOM and SCALANCE devices to firmware version 3.2 or later, where the authorization flaw is corrected. 2. Restrict network access to device management interfaces, ensuring only trusted administrators can reach the web interface, ideally via VPN or secure management networks. 3. Enforce strong authentication mechanisms and consider disabling or limiting guest accounts to prevent unauthorized access. 4. Implement network segmentation to isolate industrial control devices from general IT networks and internet exposure. 5. Monitor device configuration changes and rollback events through centralized logging and alerting systems to detect unauthorized activities promptly. 6. Conduct regular audits of user roles and permissions on these devices to ensure least privilege principles are maintained. 7. Employ intrusion detection systems tailored for OT environments to identify anomalous behavior related to configuration management. 8. Develop and test incident response plans specific to configuration integrity breaches in industrial devices.