Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Some Universal Robots controllers expose a remote Dashboard service that can control major robot actions without authentication. If reachable from an unsafe network, an outsider or unauthorized insider could stop, start, reset safety-related functions, or shut down robots, creating operational and safety risk.
Executive priority
Treat as urgent for any production robot environment where controller networks are reachable beyond trusted automation hosts. Prioritize exposure reduction before relying on detection.
Technical view
CVE-2020-10265 is CWE-306 missing authentication for the Universal Robots Dashboard server on TCP port 29999. Affected controllers include CB2 SW 1.4+, CB3 SW 3.0+, and e-Series SW 5.0+. CVSS 3.0 is 9.4, with network access, no privileges, and high integrity and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where Universal Robots controller management networks, automation cells, VPNs, or plant networks allow access to port 29999 from non-authorized systems.
Exploitation context
The supplied bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. Risk remains high because the service is network reachable, unauthenticated, and controls core robot functions.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports unauthenticated network control of robot Dashboard functions. The bundle does not identify fixed versions, active exploitation, or detailed vendor remediation. Avoid assuming product variants beyond CB2, CB3, and e-Series listed here.
Mitigation direction
- Check Universal Robots guidance for supported fixes or configuration changes.
- Restrict Dashboard server access to authorized automation hosts only.
- Block port 29999 from corporate, guest, internet, and unmanaged networks.
- Place robot controllers on segmented industrial networks with strict ACLs.
- Monitor for unexpected Dashboard service access attempts.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Universal Robots controller models and software versions.
- Identify systems that can reach TCP port 29999 on controllers.
- Confirm access is limited to authorized engineering or automation hosts.
- Review network paths from VPN, corporate, and third-party access zones.
- Document compensating controls where vendor fixes are unavailable.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-306: Credential and account abuse lookup
Authentication and credential weaknesses can make valid-account abuse and credential telemetry useful review starting points. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2020-10265 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.4 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H3.95.5Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
9.4CriticalVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.universal-robots.com/how-tos-and-faqs/how-to/ur-how-tos/real-time-data-exchange-rtde-guide/CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Authentication for Critical Function
Missing Authentication for Critical Function represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.