Rockwell Automation Lifecycle Services with VMware

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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• CVSS v4 9.4
• ATTENTION: Low attack complexity
• Vendor: Rockwell Automation
• Equipment: Lifecycle Services with VMware
• Vulnerabilities: Out-of-bounds Write, Use of Uninitialized Resource

2. RISK EVALUATION

Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could lead to code execution on the host or leakage of memory from processes communicating with vSockets.

3. TECHNICAL DETAILS

3.1 AFFECTED PRODUCTS

Rockwell Automation reports the following Lifecycle Services with VMware are affected:

• Industrial Data Center (IDC) with VMware: Generations 1 – 4
• VersaVirtual Appliance (VVA) with VMware: Series A & B
• Threat Detection Managed Services (TDMS) with VMware: All versions
• Endpoint Protection Service with Rockwell Automation Proxy & VMware only: All versions
• Engineered and Integrated Solutions with VMware: All versions

3.2 Vulnerability Overview

3.2.1 Out-of-bounds Write CWE-787

An integer-overflow vulnerability exists in the VMXNET3 virtual network adapter used in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion. Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to code execution on the host.

CVE-2025-41236 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.3 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has also been calculated for CVE-2025-41236. A base score of 9.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H).

3.2.2 Out-of-bounds Write CWE-787

An integer-underflow vulnerability exists in the Virtual Machine Communication Interface (VMCI) of VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion, which can lead to an out-of-bounds write. Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to code execution on the host.

CVE-2025-41237 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.3 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has also been calculated for CVE-2025-41237. A base score of 9.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H).

3.2.3 Out-of-bounds Write CWE-787

A heap-overflow vulnerability exists in the Paravirtualized SCSI (PVSCSI) controller of VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion, which can lead to an out-of-bounds write. Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to code execution on the host.

CVE-2025-41238 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.3 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has also been calculated for CVE-2025-41238. A base score of 9.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H).

3.2.4 Use of Uninitialized Resource CWE-908

An information disclosure vulnerability exists in vSockets due to the use of uninitialized memory in VMware ESXi, Workstation, Fusion, and VMware Tools. Exploitation of this vulnerability can result in the leakage of memory from processes communicating with vSockets.

CVE-2025-41239 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N).

A CVSS v4 score has also been calculated for CVE-2025-41239. A base score of 8.2 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N).

3.3 BACKGROUND

• CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS: Critical Manufacturing
• COUNTRIES/AREAS DEPLOYED: Worldwide
• COMPANY HEADQUARTERS LOCATION: United States

3.4 RESEARCHER

Rockwell Automation reported these vulnerabilities to CISA.

4. MITIGATIONS

Rockwell Automation will contact impacted users with an active Rockwell Automation Infrastructure Managed Service contract or Threat Detection Managed Service contract to discuss actions needed for remediation efforts.

Rockwell recommends users without Rockwell Automation managed services contract to refer to Broadcom's advisories below:

• Support Content Notification - Support Portal - Broadcom support portal
• https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/release-notes/esxi-update-and-patch-release-notes/vsphere-esxi-80u3f-release-notes.html
• https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/release-notes/esxi-update-and-patch-release-notes/vsphere-esxi-80u2e-release-notes.html
• https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/7-0/release-notes/esxi-update-and-patch-release-notes/vsphere-esxi-70u3w-release-notes.html

Rockwell Automation encourages users of the affected software who are not able to upgrade to one of the corrected versions to apply security best practices where possible.

For more information refer to Rockwell Automation's security advisory.

CISA recommends users take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of these vulnerabilities, such as:

• Minimize network exposure for all control system devices and/or systems, ensuring they are not accessible from the Internet.
• Locate control system networks and remote devices behind firewalls and isolating them from business networks.
• When remote access is required, use more secure methods, such as virtual private networks (VPNs), recognizing VPNs may have vulnerabilities and should be updated to the most current version available. Also recognize VPN is only as secure as the connected devices.

CISA reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to deploying defensive measures.

CISA also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the ICS webpage on cisa.gov/ics. Several CISA products detailing cyber defense best practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies.

CISA encourages organizations to implement recommended cybersecurity strategies for proactive defense of ICS assets.

Additional mitigation guidance and recommended practices are publicly available on the ICS webpage at cisa.gov/ics in the technical information paper, ICS-TIP-12-146-01B--Targeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation Strategies.

Organizations observing suspected malicious activity should follow established internal procedures and report findings to CISA for tracking and correlation against other incidents.

No known public exploitation specifically targeting these vulnerabilities has been reported to CISA at this time. These vulnerabilities are not exploitable remotely.

5. UPDATE HISTORY

• July 31, 2025: Initial republication of Rockwell Automation security advisory

• Rockwell Automation