CVE-2025-7448 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability identified in version 2.6.0 of the Wi-SUN Stack developed by silabs.com. The vulnerability arises from the improper handling of unexpected 4-Way Handshake packet receptions within the Wi-SUN protocol implementation. Specifically, this flaw can lead to the generation of predictable cryptographic keys during the handshake process, which is critical for establishing secure communication channels. The predictable keys enable an attacker to perform a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack by spoofing authentication, effectively bypassing the intended authentication mechanisms (classified under CWE-290: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing). The vulnerability does not require user interaction, privileges, or local access, and can be exploited remotely over the network (Attack Vector: Adjacent Network). The CVSS 4.0 base score is 8.6, reflecting high impact on confidentiality and integrity, with no impact on availability. The vulnerability affects the Wi-SUN Stack version 2.6.0, which is used in wireless communication networks, particularly in smart utility networks and IoT deployments that rely on Wi-SUN protocols for secure, low-power, wide-area networking. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that affected organizations should prioritize monitoring and mitigation efforts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-7448 can be significant, especially for those deploying Wi-SUN-based networks in critical infrastructure sectors such as smart grids, smart metering, and industrial IoT. The authentication bypass and resulting MitM attack can lead to unauthorized interception and manipulation of sensitive data, undermining confidentiality and integrity of communications. This could result in data leakage, fraudulent control commands, or disruption of utility services. Given the increasing adoption of smart utility networks across Europe, particularly in energy and municipal services, the vulnerability poses a risk to operational continuity and regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR for data protection and NIS Directive for network security). The lack of required authentication or user interaction for exploitation increases the threat level, as attackers can remotely compromise devices within the network's radio range. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for lateral movement within critical infrastructure networks, amplifying potential damage.

Organizations should immediately assess their deployment of the silabs.com Wi-SUN Stack version 2.6.0 and plan for rapid remediation. Specific mitigation steps include: 1) Implement network segmentation and strict access controls to limit exposure of Wi-SUN devices to untrusted networks or adversaries within radio range. 2) Monitor network traffic for anomalous 4-Way Handshake packets or unusual authentication attempts indicative of exploitation attempts. 3) Engage with silabs.com for updates or patches addressing this vulnerability; if unavailable, consider temporary disabling or restricting Wi-SUN communications where feasible. 4) Employ additional cryptographic safeguards or integrity checks at higher protocol layers to detect and prevent MitM attacks. 5) Conduct security audits and penetration testing focused on wireless communication components to identify and remediate related weaknesses. 6) Update incident response plans to include scenarios involving Wi-SUN authentication bypass and MitM attacks. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the unique wireless and protocol-specific aspects of this vulnerability.