CVE-2025-6571 is a vulnerability identified in Axis Communications AB's AXIS OS, specifically versions 11.11.0 and 12.0.0. The issue arises from a third-party component within the OS that exposes its password in the process arguments, which are accessible to users with certain privileges on the system. This exposure is classified under CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials), indicating that sensitive authentication data is not adequately protected. Because process arguments can be viewed by other users or processes with sufficient permissions, low-privileged users who have high privileges on the system can retrieve these credentials without requiring user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.0, with vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L, indicating that the attack requires local access, high attack complexity, and high privileges, but no user interaction. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is high because the exposed credentials could allow unauthorized access or manipulation of the system or connected devices. Availability impact is low. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be addressed promptly. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where AXIS OS is deployed, such as IP cameras and security devices, which are critical for physical security and surveillance.

For European organizations, especially those relying on Axis Communications' surveillance and security products, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of their security infrastructure. Exposure of credentials can lead to unauthorized access to surveillance devices, enabling attackers to manipulate video feeds, disable security monitoring, or pivot into broader network environments. This could compromise physical security, violate privacy regulations such as GDPR, and potentially disrupt critical infrastructure operations. The requirement for local access with elevated privileges limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds could leverage this vulnerability for lateral movement. The low availability impact means systems are unlikely to be taken offline directly by this vulnerability, but the integrity and confidentiality breaches could have cascading operational consequences. Organizations in sectors like transportation, government, energy, and public safety that deploy Axis devices should consider this vulnerability a priority for risk management.

1. Restrict local access to systems running AXIS OS to only trusted and necessary personnel to reduce the risk of credential exposure. 2. Monitor process arguments and system logs for unusual access patterns or attempts to read process information that could indicate exploitation attempts. 3. Implement strict privilege separation and minimize the number of users with high privileges on affected systems. 4. Once available, promptly apply official patches or updates from Axis Communications addressing this vulnerability. 5. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that can detect suspicious local activities related to credential access. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on local privilege escalation and credential exposure scenarios. 7. Employ network segmentation to isolate AXIS OS devices from critical network segments to limit lateral movement opportunities. 8. Educate administrators and users about the risks of credential exposure and enforce strong credential management policies.