CVE-2025-9177 identifies a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability in the Rockwell Automation 1715-AENTR EtherNet/IP Adapter, specifically in firmware versions 3.003 and earlier. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-770, which involves allocation of resources without limits or throttling. The root cause is that the device's embedded web server does not properly limit the number of incoming requests, allowing an attacker to overwhelm it by sending a high volume of requests. This resource exhaustion causes the web server to crash, rendering the web-based management interface unavailable. Importantly, this failure does not affect the adapter's core I/O control or communication capabilities, meaning that industrial control processes continue to operate normally. However, the loss of the web interface can hinder monitoring, diagnostics, and configuration tasks. Recovery from the DoS condition requires a manual power cycle of the device. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without any authentication or user interaction, making it accessible to unauthenticated attackers on the network. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 7.7 (high), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, and no privileges or user interaction needed. No patches or firmware updates have been published at the time of disclosure, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The vulnerability highlights the importance of resource management in embedded industrial devices, especially those exposed to network traffic. Organizations using this adapter should be aware of the risk of service disruption to their web management interfaces and implement compensating controls to mitigate potential attacks.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-9177 on European organizations lies in the denial of service to the web management interface of the Rockwell Automation 1715-AENTR EtherNet/IP Adapter. While the core industrial control functions remain unaffected, loss of web interface availability can delay or prevent configuration changes, monitoring, and troubleshooting activities. This can increase operational risk, especially in complex industrial environments where timely access to device management is critical. In sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and utilities, where Rockwell Automation products are widely deployed, this could lead to increased downtime or slower incident response. The requirement for a manual power cycle to recover the web interface may also cause operational inconvenience and potential safety concerns if remote management is relied upon. Since exploitation requires no authentication and can be performed remotely, attackers could disrupt industrial network management from outside the organization, increasing the threat surface. European organizations with interconnected industrial control systems and limited network segmentation are particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the high CVSS score and ease of exploitation warrant proactive mitigation to avoid potential service interruptions.

1. Implement strict network segmentation to isolate the 1715-AENTR EtherNet/IP Adapter's management interface from general enterprise and internet-facing networks. 2. Deploy network-level rate limiting and traffic shaping controls to detect and block excessive request volumes targeting the device's web server port. 3. Use intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or anomaly detection tuned to identify unusual traffic patterns against the adapter. 4. Restrict access to the web management interface to trusted IP addresses or VPN connections only, minimizing exposure to unauthorized actors. 5. Monitor device logs and network traffic for signs of repeated or abnormal connection attempts to the web server. 6. Establish operational procedures to perform timely power cycles if the web interface becomes unresponsive, ensuring minimal disruption. 7. Engage with Rockwell Automation support channels to obtain firmware updates or patches once available and plan for prompt deployment. 8. Consider alternative management methods or redundant monitoring solutions to maintain visibility if the web interface is unavailable. 9. Educate operational technology (OT) staff about this vulnerability and the importance of maintaining strict access controls. 10. Regularly review and update network architecture to reduce attack surface exposure of critical industrial devices.