CVE-2025-61956 identifies a critical security vulnerability in Radiometrics VizAir, a product used for meteorological data visualization and potentially integrated with air traffic control systems. The vulnerability stems from CWE-306, which is the absence of authentication for critical functions. Specifically, the system lacks authentication controls for administrative functions and API requests, enabling attackers to gain unauthorized access and modify configurations without any credentials. This can lead to manipulation of active runway settings, which are vital for safe aircraft takeoff and landing operations, as well as alteration of meteorological data used by forecasters and air traffic controllers. Such tampering can cause inaccurate flight planning, mislead pilots and ATC personnel, and increase the risk of accidents or operational disruptions. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring any privileges or user interaction, making it highly accessible to attackers. The CVSS 4.0 score of 10.0 reflects the critical nature of this flaw, with high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system. Although no exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the potential consequences for aviation safety and operational continuity are severe. The vulnerability affects all versions of VizAir, indicating a systemic issue in the product's design. Given the critical role of VizAir in aviation meteorology and runway management, this vulnerability represents a significant threat to aviation infrastructure security.

The impact of CVE-2025-61956 on European organizations is profound, particularly those involved in aviation operations, air traffic management, and meteorological services. Unauthorized modification of runway settings can directly endanger aircraft safety, potentially leading to runway incursions, collisions, or misrouted flights. Manipulated meteorological data can degrade the accuracy of weather forecasts and flight planning, increasing the risk of delays, cancellations, or accidents due to unforeseen weather conditions. Such disruptions can have cascading effects on European airspace efficiency, passenger safety, and economic costs. Additionally, compromised data integrity undermines trust in critical aviation systems and may lead to regulatory scrutiny or liability issues. The availability of VizAir services could also be impacted if attackers disrupt system operations, affecting real-time decision-making. Overall, the vulnerability threatens the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical aviation data and control functions, posing a severe risk to European aviation safety and operational resilience.

To mitigate CVE-2025-61956 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately isolate and restrict network access to VizAir systems, limiting exposure to trusted internal networks only. 2) Implement compensating controls such as network segmentation and strict firewall rules to prevent unauthorized external access. 3) Conduct thorough audits of current VizAir configurations and logs to detect any unauthorized changes or suspicious activity. 4) Engage with Radiometrics for any available patches or security updates and apply them promptly once released. 5) If patches are unavailable, consider deploying application-layer authentication proxies or API gateways to enforce authentication and authorization on critical functions. 6) Enhance monitoring and alerting for unusual configuration changes or API calls within VizAir environments. 7) Train operational staff and incident response teams on the risks and detection of this vulnerability exploitation. 8) Collaborate with aviation regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with safety and cybersecurity standards. 9) Develop and test incident response plans specific to potential VizAir compromise scenarios. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on network-level controls, compensating authentication enforcement, and operational readiness.