CVE-2025-40755 is an SQL injection vulnerability classified under CWE-89 affecting Siemens SINEC NMS versions earlier than 4.0 SP1. The flaw exists in the getTotalAndFilterCounts API endpoint, which improperly neutralizes special characters in SQL commands. An attacker with low-level authenticated access can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious SQL queries, enabling unauthorized data insertion and privilege escalation within the system. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive network management data, modification of configuration settings, or disruption of network monitoring functions. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8, indicating high severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and no user interaction required. The scope is unchanged, meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component but with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. Siemens has not yet released a patch, and no public exploits have been reported. Given the critical role of SINEC NMS in industrial and network management environments, exploitation could severely impact operational continuity and security posture.

For European organizations, especially those in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and telecommunications, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk. Siemens SINEC NMS is widely used in industrial network management across Europe, with significant deployments in Germany, France, the UK, and other EU countries. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive network configurations, manipulation of monitoring data, and potential disruption of network operations. This could result in operational downtime, data breaches, and loss of control over critical industrial processes. The privilege escalation aspect increases the risk of attackers gaining administrative control, further exacerbating potential damage. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a foothold for lateral movement within enterprise networks, increasing the overall threat landscape for affected organizations.

1. Immediately restrict access to the getTotalAndFilterCounts endpoint by implementing network segmentation and strict access controls, limiting it only to trusted and necessary users. 2. Enforce strong authentication and monitor for unusual authentication attempts or privilege escalations within SINEC NMS. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules tailored to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the vulnerable endpoint. 4. Conduct thorough logging and real-time monitoring of database queries and application logs to identify suspicious SQL commands or anomalies. 5. Prepare for rapid deployment of the official Siemens patch once released; establish communication channels with Siemens support for updates. 6. Perform regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on the SINEC NMS environment to identify any exploitation attempts. 7. Educate system administrators about the vulnerability and ensure they follow best practices for least privilege and secure configuration of the management system.