CVE-2025-49195 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the FTP server component of the SICK Media Server product developed by SICK AG. The vulnerability arises from improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts (CWE-307), meaning the FTP server does not implement any mechanism to limit or throttle repeated login attempts. This lack of rate limiting or account lockout functionality allows an attacker to perform brute-force attacks against user credentials without being blocked or slowed down. Since the vulnerability affects all versions of the SICK Media Server, any deployment using this product is potentially exposed. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requiring no privileges (PR:N) or user interaction (UI:N), and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, reflecting a medium severity primarily due to the potential confidentiality impact (C:L) without affecting integrity or availability. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to the FTP server, potentially exposing sensitive files or enabling further lateral movement within the affected environment. However, there are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been released yet, which increases the urgency for organizations to implement compensating controls. The vulnerability is specifically tied to the FTP login mechanism of the SICK Media Server, a product commonly used in industrial automation and manufacturing environments, particularly for managing media and data streams from sensors and devices.

For European organizations, especially those in industrial sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and automation that rely on SICK AG products, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Unauthorized access to the FTP server could lead to exposure of sensitive operational data, intellectual property, or configuration files. Attackers gaining access might also use the compromised server as a foothold to pivot into internal networks, potentially disrupting industrial processes or causing data breaches. Given the critical role of industrial control systems in European manufacturing and infrastructure, exploitation could have downstream effects on operational continuity and safety. Although the vulnerability does not directly impact system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach alone could have regulatory and reputational consequences, particularly under GDPR and other data protection frameworks prevalent in Europe. The absence of authentication or user interaction requirements lowers the barrier for attackers, increasing the likelihood of brute-force attempts, especially in environments with weak or default credentials.

Since no official patches are currently available, European organizations should implement immediate compensating controls. These include deploying network-level protections such as firewall rules to restrict FTP access to trusted IP addresses and internal networks only. Implementing intrusion detection or prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with brute-force detection capabilities can help identify and block repeated login attempts. Organizations should enforce strong password policies and rotate credentials regularly for all FTP accounts. Where possible, disable FTP access entirely or replace it with more secure protocols like SFTP or FTPS that support stronger authentication and encryption. Additionally, monitoring FTP server logs for unusual authentication patterns can provide early warning signs of brute-force attacks. Network segmentation to isolate the SICK Media Server from critical systems will limit potential lateral movement if compromise occurs. Finally, organizations should maintain close communication with SICK AG for updates on patches or security advisories and plan for timely deployment once available.