CVE-2025-49182 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the SICK Media Server product developed by SICK AG. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-862, which corresponds to Missing Authorization. Specifically, the issue arises because certain files within the source code contain hardcoded login credentials for the admin user as well as the property configuration password. This critical security flaw allows an attacker to bypass any authentication mechanisms and gain full administrative access to the application without any prior privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), does not require any privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N) is needed. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component itself. The confidentiality impact is high (C:H), as an attacker can access sensitive data or control the application, but integrity and availability impacts are not affected (I:N, A:N). Since the vulnerability involves missing authorization due to embedded credentials, an attacker can fully control the media server, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, manipulation of media streams, or disruption of services relying on this server. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of hardcoded credentials in source code is a critical security lapse that can be easily leveraged by attackers once discovered. The affected version is listed as '0', which likely indicates the initial or an early release version of the product. No patches have been published yet, increasing the urgency for organizations to apply mitigations or monitor for updates from the vendor. Given the nature of the product—a media server used in industrial or commercial environments—this vulnerability could be exploited to compromise operational technology or sensitive media data streams.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49182 can be significant, especially for those using SICK Media Server in industrial automation, manufacturing, or logistics sectors where SICK AG products are commonly deployed. Unauthorized access to the media server could lead to exposure of sensitive operational data, intellectual property, or surveillance media. Attackers gaining admin access could manipulate or disrupt media streams, potentially affecting real-time monitoring or control systems. This could result in operational downtime, loss of data confidentiality, and potential compliance violations under GDPR if personal data is processed or stored. Furthermore, compromised media servers could serve as pivot points for lateral movement within corporate networks, increasing the risk of broader network compromise. The lack of integrity and availability impact in the CVSS vector suggests that while data confidentiality is at high risk, the system’s operation and data integrity may not be directly affected by this vulnerability alone. However, attackers with admin access could still perform malicious actions beyond the scope of this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as threat actors often reverse-engineer disclosed vulnerabilities to develop exploits. European organizations relying on SICK Media Server should consider this vulnerability a critical security concern due to the ease of exploitation and the high confidentiality impact.

1. Immediate mitigation should include auditing all deployments of SICK Media Server to identify affected versions, especially early or initial releases. 2. Since no official patches are available yet, organizations should implement network-level access controls to restrict access to the media server only to trusted internal hosts and networks, using firewalls and segmentation. 3. Change default or hardcoded credentials if possible by accessing configuration files or management interfaces, or by reinstalling the software with secure credentials if supported. 4. Monitor network traffic and logs for any unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activity targeting the media server. 5. Engage with SICK AG support channels to obtain information on upcoming patches or security advisories and apply updates promptly once available. 6. Consider deploying intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or anomaly detection tuned for media server protocols to detect exploitation attempts. 7. For critical environments, consider isolating the media server from internet-facing networks and limit administrative access to dedicated management networks. 8. Conduct security awareness training for administrators managing these systems to recognize and respond to potential exploitation attempts. 9. Review and enhance overall credential management policies to prevent embedding sensitive credentials in source code or configuration files in future deployments.