Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This issue weakens password protection in Rockwell Automation ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x and 5.x because privileged-command passwords are encrypted with a fixed key. A remote attacker may be able to submit their own encrypted password and gain sensitive device information. The public bundle rates this medium, with high confidentiality impact but high attack complexity and required user interaction.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted OT confidentiality risk, not an internet-scale emergency based on the supplied evidence. Prioritize identifying exposed ISaGRAF Runtime deployments, especially in plants where engineering or runtime interfaces are reachable beyond tightly controlled networks.
Technical view
ISaGRAF Runtime encrypts entered or saved privileged-command passwords using TEA with a hard-coded key, mapped to CWE-321. The CVSS 3.1 vector is AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating remote reachability, no privileges, required user interaction, and confidentiality-only impact. The bundle names Rockwell Automation ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x and 5.x as affected.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in operational technology environments running Rockwell Automation ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x or 5.x. Downstream product exposure should be verified through the cited vendor advisories; this bundle does not provide enough detail to name additional affected product versions.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not report active exploitation, and CISA KEV status is false. Exploitation is described as remote and unauthenticated, but high complexity and user interaction are reflected in the CVSS vector. The documented result is information disclosure on the device, not integrity or availability impact.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports hard-coded cryptographic key weakness and possible information disclosure. The bundle does not include exploit proof, observed exploitation, or exact fixed versions. Avoid assuming downstream products are affected unless the Schneider Electric or Xylem advisory confirms the specific model and version in scope.
Mitigation direction
- Review Rockwell Automation advisory 1131699 for supported fixes or workarounds.
- Check CISA ICSA-20-280-01 for vendor-recommended operational mitigations.
- Verify Schneider Electric and Xylem advisories if those vendors exist in your OT inventory.
- Reduce unnecessary network reachability to affected ISaGRAF Runtime services.
- Prioritize vendor-supported updates over compensating controls where available.
Validation and detection
- Inventory systems for Rockwell Automation ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x or 5.x.
- Map OEM devices that embed ISaGRAF Runtime to the cited vendor advisories.
- Confirm whether affected runtime services are reachable from untrusted networks.
- Check vendor patch or workaround status for each identified asset.
- Document residual exposure where upgrades require maintenance windows.
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-321: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. 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 lookupCredential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2020-25180 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N1.63.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ics/advisories/icsa-20-280-01CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1131699CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_Doc_Ref=SEVD-2021-159-04CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://www.xylem.com/siteassets/about-xylem/cybersecurity/advisories/xylem-multismart-rockwell-isagraf.pdfCVE 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.
Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key
Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.