CVE-2025-54810 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Cognex In-Sight 2000 series, specifically version 5.x of the In-Sight Explorer software and In-Sight Camera Firmware. The vulnerability arises from the exposure of a proprietary management protocol on TCP port 1069, which is used to perform critical management operations such as modifying system properties. The core issue is that the user management functionality transmits sensitive data, including registered usernames and passwords, over an unencrypted channel. This lack of encryption allows an adjacent attacker—someone with network proximity—to intercept valid credentials through network traffic sniffing. Once credentials are compromised, the attacker can gain unauthorized access to the device, potentially leading to full control over the affected camera systems. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-294 (Improper Authentication), indicating that the authentication mechanism does not adequately protect sensitive information during transmission. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.0 reflects a high severity, with an attack vector requiring adjacent network access (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is needed (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high, as an attacker can both intercept sensitive data and manipulate device configurations. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that affected organizations should prioritize mitigation and monitoring efforts.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses significant risks, especially for industries relying on Cognex In-Sight 2000 series devices for automated visual inspection, manufacturing quality control, and industrial automation. Unauthorized access to these devices could lead to manipulation of inspection processes, resulting in defective products, production downtime, or safety hazards. The interception of credentials could also facilitate lateral movement within industrial networks, potentially compromising broader operational technology (OT) environments. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, organizations could face operational disruptions, financial losses, and reputational damage. Additionally, regulatory compliance risks may arise under GDPR if personal or sensitive data processed by these systems is compromised. The requirement for adjacent network access somewhat limits the attack scope to local network environments, but in industrial settings where network segmentation is often insufficient, the risk remains substantial.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Network Segmentation: Isolate Cognex In-Sight devices on dedicated VLANs or subnets with strict access controls to limit adjacent network exposure. 2) Enforce Physical and Logical Access Controls: Restrict access to network segments hosting these devices to authorized personnel only. 3) Use Encrypted Tunnels: Deploy VPNs or IPsec tunnels for management traffic to ensure encryption over the network, compensating for the lack of native protocol encryption. 4) Monitor Network Traffic: Implement intrusion detection systems (IDS) or network traffic analysis tools to detect unusual access patterns or credential interception attempts on TCP port 1069. 5) Device Hardening: Disable or restrict the proprietary management protocol if not required, or limit its use to secure management stations. 6) Vendor Coordination: Engage with Cognex for patches or firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 7) Incident Response Preparedness: Develop and test response plans for potential device compromise scenarios. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on compensating controls and proactive monitoring tailored to the specific vulnerability characteristics.