VulnerabilityPublished 23 Sep 2025

CVE-2025-58069: AutomationDirect CLICK PLUS C0-0x CPU firmware · Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

Affects AutomationDirect CLICK PLUS C0-0x CPU firmwareSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.9 Medium.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score

6.9Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 17% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Requirements: None
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low
Vulnerable system integrity: None
Vulnerable system availability: None
Subsequent system confidentiality: None
Subsequent system integrity: None
Subsequent system availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable system is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed below, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed “remotely exploitable” and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: The attacker must take no measurable action to exploit the vulnerability. The attack requires no target-specific circumvention to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: None: The successful attack does not depend on the deployment and execution conditions of the vulnerable system. The attacker can expect to be able to reach the vulnerability and execute the exploit under all or most instances of the vulnerability.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files of the vulnerable system to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without interaction from any human user, other than the attacker.
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the Subsequent System or all confidentiality impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the Subsequent System or all integrity impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Subsequent System or all availability impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v4.0 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 23 Sep 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
AutomationDirect CLICK PLUS C0-0x CPU firmware	Affected =0	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

Network Segmentation: Isolate PLCs and other ICS devices from general IT networks and restrict access to trusted management stations only.
Monitoring and Anomaly Detection: Implement network monitoring solutions tailored for ICS environments to detect unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized attempts to initiate KOPS sessions.
Firmware Integrity Checks: Regularly verify firmware integrity using cryptographic hashes to detect unauthorized modifications.
Vendor Engagement: Engage with AutomationDirect to obtain timelines for firmware patches or mitigations and request guidance on secure configuration.
Access Controls: Enforce strict access controls and authentication mechanisms on devices and management interfaces to reduce the attack surface.
Incident Response Planning: Prepare ICS-specific incident response plans that include procedures for handling cryptographic key compromise scenarios.
Physical Security: Ensure physical security of PLC devices to prevent direct firmware extraction or tampering.
Alternative Cryptographic Measures: Where possible, implement additional encryption or VPN tunnels at the network level to protect communications beyond the vulnerable firmware layer. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on compensating controls and operational practices tailored to the ICS context and the specific nature of the vulnerability.

Description

The use of a hard-coded cryptographic key was discovered in firmware version 3.60 of the Click Plus PLC. The vulnerability relies on the fact that the software contains a hard-coded AES key used to protect the initial messages of a new KOPS session.

Impact

For European organizations, especially those operating in manufacturing, utilities, or critical infrastructure sectors that rely on AutomationDirect CLICK PLUS PLCs, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk. Exploitation could allow attackers to intercept or manipulate control commands or data exchanges during session initiation, potentially leading to unauthorized control or disruption of industrial processes. While the immediate impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated low to medium, the broader operational consequences could be significant if attackers leverage this vulnerability as a foothold for more extensive attacks. Given the increasing digitization and interconnectivity of industrial environments in Europe, such vulnerabilities can undermine operational reliability and safety. Additionally, regulatory frameworks like the NIS Directive and the EU Cybersecurity Act emphasize the protection of critical infrastructure, making exploitation of such vulnerabilities a compliance concern. The lack of patches increases the urgency for risk mitigation to prevent potential exploitation, especially in environments where firmware updates are challenging or infrequent.

CWE-321Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (opens in a new tab)
Variant weaknessLikelihood of exploit: HighOWASP Top 10 A04:2025: Cryptographic Failures (opens in a new tab)
The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.
Architecture and Design
Prevention schemes mirror that of hard-coded password storage.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Transport Layer Protection (opens in a new tab)
User Privacy Protection (opens in a new tab)
Password Storage (opens in a new tab)
Cryptographic Storage (opens in a new tab)
HSTS (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V2.3.1 (opens in a new tab)
V2.6.2 (opens in a new tab)
V2.8.5 (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 1 Oct 2025, 00:48 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-321

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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