CVE-2025-53947 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 7.7) affecting the Cognex In-Sight 2000 series, specifically version 5.x of the software. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-276, which relates to improper permissions or access control. In this case, the issue arises because the software creates a data folder on the Windows system with overly permissive access rights. This weak permission setting allows any user logged into the Windows system, regardless of privilege level, to modify the contents of this folder. Since the folder contains sensitive data, a local attacker with low privileges can exploit this to corrupt or tamper with critical data used by the application. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring no user interaction (UI:N) and no privileges (PR:N), making it relatively easy to exploit by any user with access to the system. The impact affects integrity and availability, as attackers can modify or corrupt data, potentially disrupting the normal operation of the Cognex In-Sight 2000 series devices. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that remediation may still be pending or in progress. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where multiple users have access to the same Windows system running this software, increasing the risk of insider threats or unauthorized local access leading to data corruption.

For European organizations using Cognex In-Sight 2000 series devices, particularly in industrial automation, manufacturing, or quality control sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. The ability for any local user to modify sensitive data can lead to operational disruptions, inaccurate machine vision outputs, or even safety hazards if the corrupted data affects automated processes. This can result in production downtime, financial losses, and damage to reputation. Additionally, since the vulnerability does not require elevated privileges or user interaction, it lowers the barrier for exploitation by internal personnel or attackers who have gained limited access to the system. European organizations with shared or multi-user environments are especially vulnerable. The lack of a patch increases the urgency for interim mitigations. Furthermore, regulatory compliance frameworks in Europe, such as GDPR and NIS Directive, may consider such vulnerabilities critical if they lead to operational failures or data integrity issues, potentially resulting in legal and financial penalties.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should implement immediate compensating controls. First, restrict physical and logical access to Windows systems running the Cognex In-Sight 2000 series to trusted personnel only, minimizing the number of users with local access. Second, manually audit and adjust the permissions of the data folder created by the software to ensure that only the service account or administrative users have write access, removing permissions from standard users. This can be done using Windows ACL tools or scripts to enforce strict access control. Third, implement monitoring and alerting on changes to the folder contents to detect unauthorized modifications promptly. Fourth, consider running the software in isolated or dedicated environments where user access is tightly controlled. Finally, maintain close communication with Cognex for updates and apply patches immediately once available. Regular backups of the data folder should be maintained to enable recovery in case of corruption.