CVE-2025-7025 is a high-severity heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) found in Rockwell Automation's Arena® Simulation software, versions 16.20.09 and prior. The flaw arises from improper memory handling when processing custom files, allowing the software to read and write beyond allocated memory boundaries. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a maliciously crafted file or visiting a compromised webpage that triggers the vulnerability. Successful exploitation could enable a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application or potentially disclose sensitive information from memory. The vulnerability does not require authentication or elevated privileges to exploit, but user interaction is necessary. The CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.4 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with relatively low attack complexity and no privileges required. No public exploits are currently known, and no patches have been released at the time of this report. Given Arena® Simulation's use in industrial and manufacturing process modeling, exploitation could disrupt critical operational planning and simulation activities, potentially leading to operational delays or safety risks if manipulated data is used for decision-making.

For European organizations, particularly those in manufacturing, industrial automation, and process engineering sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Arena® Simulation is widely used for modeling complex industrial processes, and a successful attack could lead to unauthorized code execution, resulting in data breaches, intellectual property theft, or sabotage of simulation results. This could impair operational efficiency, cause financial losses, and damage reputations. Additionally, compromised simulation data might lead to flawed operational decisions, increasing safety risks in industrial environments. The requirement for user interaction means that social engineering or phishing campaigns targeting employees who use Arena® Simulation could be effective attack vectors. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact means that affected organizations could face severe disruptions and compliance issues under European data protection regulations if sensitive data is leaked or systems are compromised.

European organizations should implement targeted mitigations beyond generic advice: 1) Immediately audit and inventory all instances of Arena® Simulation to identify affected versions (16.20.09 and prior). 2) Restrict usage of Arena® Simulation to trusted files only, implementing strict file validation and sandboxing where possible to prevent opening untrusted or external files. 3) Educate users on the risks of opening files from unknown sources and implement phishing awareness training focused on this vulnerability's exploitation vector. 4) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block anomalous behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Network segmentation should isolate systems running Arena® Simulation from critical operational technology (OT) networks to limit lateral movement. 6) Monitor vendor communications closely for patches or updates and plan rapid deployment once available. 7) Consider deploying virtualized or containerized environments for running Arena® Simulation to contain potential exploitation impacts. 8) Implement strict access controls and least privilege principles for users operating the software to minimize potential damage.