CVE-2025-64122 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) found in the Nuvation Energy Multi-Stack Controller (MSC), a device used in energy management and industrial control systems. The flaw allows attackers to steal cryptographic keys due to inadequate credential protection mechanisms within the MSC firmware or software up to version 2.5.1. This key theft enables signature spoofing, where malicious actors can forge valid signatures to impersonate legitimate commands or data, potentially leading to unauthorized control or manipulation of the energy stacks managed by the MSC. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.2, reflecting a high severity level. The attack vector is local (AV:L), with high attack complexity (AC:H), and no privileges or user interaction are required (PR:N, UI:N). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (VC:N), integrity (VI:H), and scope (SC:H), meaning it can affect components beyond the initially vulnerable system. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the risk remains significant due to the critical nature of the affected systems. The MSC is typically deployed in energy storage and management environments, where secure credential handling is paramount to prevent unauthorized access or control. The insufficient credential protection could stem from weak encryption, poor key storage practices, or lack of hardware security modules, enabling attackers with local access to extract keys and spoof signatures. This undermines the trustworthiness of command and control operations within the energy stacks, potentially causing operational disruptions or safety hazards.

For European organizations, especially those involved in energy production, storage, and industrial automation, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized command execution, manipulation of energy stack operations, or disruption of critical infrastructure. The integrity of control signals and data could be compromised, potentially causing operational failures or safety incidents. Confidentiality of cryptographic keys is at risk, which could facilitate further attacks or lateral movement within networks. Given the strategic importance of energy infrastructure in Europe, such a compromise could have cascading effects on national grids and industrial processes. The local attack vector implies that attackers need some form of access to the MSC device or network segment, which could be achieved through insider threats or network breaches. The high attack complexity suggests exploitation is non-trivial but feasible for skilled adversaries. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits once the vulnerability becomes widely known.

European organizations should prioritize the following mitigations: 1) Conduct thorough audits of all deployed Nuvation MSC devices to identify affected versions and isolate them if possible. 2) Implement strict access controls and network segmentation to limit local access to MSC devices, reducing the risk of key theft. 3) Enhance monitoring for anomalous signature verification failures or unexpected command patterns that may indicate spoofing attempts. 4) Engage with Nuvation Energy for firmware updates or patches addressing credential protection; if unavailable, consider compensating controls such as hardware security modules or encrypted tunnels for management traffic. 5) Train operational technology (OT) and security teams on the risks of credential theft and signature spoofing specific to MSC environments. 6) Employ physical security measures to prevent unauthorized local access to MSC hardware. 7) Develop incident response plans tailored to potential MSC compromise scenarios, including key revocation and device replacement procedures. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on the unique operational context and attack vectors of the MSC in energy environments.