CVE-2025-9962 is a critical buffer overflow vulnerability classified under CWE-120, affecting the Novakon P series, specifically version P – V2001.A.c518o2. This vulnerability arises from improper handling of input sizes during buffer copy operations, allowing an attacker to overflow the buffer without any size checks. Exploitation of this flaw enables an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code with root-level privileges on the affected device. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 10, indicating maximum severity, with attack vector network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (VC:H, VI:H, VA:H). The scope is high (S: H), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially compromising the entire system. The Novakon P series is typically used in industrial control systems (ICS) or specialized embedded environments, where root access can lead to full system compromise, including control over critical processes. No patches have been released yet, and no known exploits are currently in the wild, but the ease of exploitation and severity make this a significant threat. The vulnerability was reserved and published in early and late September 2025, respectively, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. Given the nature of the vulnerability, attackers can remotely gain full control without authentication or user interaction, making it highly dangerous for operational environments relying on these devices.

For European organizations, especially those in industrial sectors such as manufacturing, energy, utilities, and critical infrastructure, this vulnerability poses a severe risk. Novakon P series devices may be integrated into supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems or other industrial automation environments. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized control over industrial processes, causing operational disruptions, safety hazards, data breaches, and potential physical damage. The root-level access gained by attackers could allow them to disable safety mechanisms, manipulate process data, or cause denial of service, impacting availability and safety. Additionally, the compromise of these devices could serve as a pivot point for lateral movement within enterprise networks, increasing the risk of broader network compromise. Given the criticality of industrial control systems in Europe’s energy and manufacturing sectors, this vulnerability could have cascading effects on supply chains and public safety if exploited.

Immediate mitigation steps should include isolating affected Novakon P series devices from untrusted networks to reduce exposure. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to these devices strictly to authorized personnel and systems. Organizations should monitor network traffic for unusual activity targeting these devices, including attempts to exploit buffer overflow patterns. Since no patches are currently available, applying virtual patching techniques such as intrusion prevention system (IPS) rules to detect and block exploit attempts is advisable. Vendors and users should prioritize obtaining and applying official patches or firmware updates once released. Additionally, implementing strict access controls, disabling unnecessary services on the devices, and maintaining up-to-date backups of device configurations can aid in recovery if compromise occurs. Conducting thorough security assessments and penetration tests focusing on these devices will help identify exposure and validate mitigation effectiveness. Finally, organizations should establish incident response plans tailored to industrial control system compromises to respond swiftly if exploitation is detected.