CVE-2025-7353 is a critical security vulnerability affecting Rockwell Automation's ControlLogix Ethernet Modules, specifically the 1756-EN2T/D models running firmware version 11.004 or below. The root cause is an insecure default initialization of a web-based debugger (WDB) agent that listens for connections from a specific IP address. This WDB agent, when accessed by an attacker from the designated IP, allows unauthorized remote access to sensitive module memory. Exploitation enables attackers to perform memory dumps, modify memory contents, and control the execution flow of the device. This means an attacker can potentially manipulate the logic and operation of industrial control systems (ICS) managed by these modules without requiring authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-1188, which relates to insecure default resource initialization, indicating that the WDB agent is enabled and accessible by default in a manner that compromises security. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 9.3 (critical), reflecting the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with network-level exploitability without privileges or user interaction. Although no public exploits are currently known, the severity and nature of this vulnerability make it a significant risk for industrial environments relying on these modules for automation and control.

For European organizations, especially those in critical infrastructure sectors such as manufacturing, energy, utilities, and transportation, this vulnerability poses a severe risk. The affected Rockwell Automation modules are widely used in industrial automation systems across Europe. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized control over industrial processes, causing operational disruptions, safety hazards, and potential physical damage to equipment. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive operational data, while integrity violations could result in manipulated control logic, leading to unsafe or inefficient operations. Availability impacts could manifest as system downtime or denial of control, affecting production lines or critical services. Given the lack of authentication and the ability to control execution flow remotely, attackers could deploy sophisticated attacks including sabotage or espionage. The potential for cascading effects in interconnected industrial environments further amplifies the threat to European industry and infrastructure resilience.

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling or restricting access to the web-based debugger agent on the affected 1756-EN2T/D modules. Network segmentation should be enforced to isolate these devices from untrusted networks, limiting access to only authorized management stations. Implement strict IP filtering and firewall rules to block unauthorized IP addresses from reaching the WDB agent. Since no patches are currently available, organizations should monitor Rockwell Automation advisories for firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once released. Additionally, conduct thorough audits of existing network configurations to identify and remediate any exposure of these modules to external or less trusted internal networks. Employ intrusion detection systems tailored for industrial protocols to detect anomalous access attempts. Finally, develop and test incident response plans specific to ICS environments to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation attempts.