CVE-2025-49185 is a medium-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-79, indicating an improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as Cross-site Scripting (XSS). This vulnerability affects all versions of the SICK Field Analytics web application developed by SICK AG. The issue arises because the application allows users with the capability to create new dashboard widgets to inject malicious JavaScript code into the Transform Function. This injected code executes when the widget receives data from its data source, enabling the attacker to run arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability requires that the attacker has privileged access to create widgets (indicated by the CVSS vector requiring privileges) but does not require user interaction once the malicious widget is deployed. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, reflecting a medium severity level, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and no user interaction needed. The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability can affect components beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact is limited to low confidentiality and integrity impacts, with no impact on availability. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and no patches have been published yet. The vulnerability could be leveraged to execute malicious scripts that may steal session tokens, manipulate displayed data, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, potentially leading to data leakage or unauthorized operations within the analytics platform.

For European organizations using SICK Field Analytics, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the confidentiality and integrity of data processed and displayed within the analytics dashboards. Since the vulnerability requires privileged access to create widgets, the threat is more significant in environments where multiple users have such permissions or where access controls are weak. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized data exposure, manipulation of analytics results, or execution of unauthorized commands within the web application context. This could undermine trust in analytics outputs, disrupt decision-making processes, and potentially expose sensitive operational data. Given that SICK AG is a German company with a strong presence in industrial automation and analytics, European manufacturing, logistics, and industrial enterprises relying on SICK Field Analytics for operational insights are particularly at risk. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks within corporate networks if attackers escalate privileges or move laterally after initial exploitation. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests limited current risk, but the availability of this vulnerability information may prompt targeted attacks, especially in sectors with high-value industrial data.

1. Restrict widget creation permissions strictly to trusted and trained personnel to minimize the risk of malicious widget deployment. 2. Implement rigorous input validation and sanitization on the Transform Function input to neutralize potentially malicious JavaScript code before execution. 3. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of inline scripts and limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded, reducing the impact of injected scripts. 4. Monitor and audit dashboard widget creation and modifications regularly to detect suspicious activities promptly. 5. Isolate the analytics environment from critical operational networks to limit potential lateral movement in case of exploitation. 6. Engage with SICK AG for timely updates and patches; in the absence of official patches, consider temporary workarounds such as disabling the Transform Function or restricting widget functionalities until a fix is available. 7. Educate users with widget creation privileges about secure coding practices and the risks of injecting untrusted code. 8. Implement multi-factor authentication and strong access controls to reduce the risk of compromised privileged accounts being used to exploit this vulnerability.