Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This issue affects Rockwell Automation ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x and 5.x on Microsoft Windows. The runtime may load DLLs from an unsafe search path, letting a local attacker execute code if they can place or influence a malicious library. Business impact is mainly on Windows-based industrial systems using ISaGRAF.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate operational technology risk. It is not presented as actively exploited, but successful exploitation could compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability on affected Windows runtime systems. Prioritize environments where local access controls are weak or the runtime supports critical operations.
Technical view
CVE-2020-25182 is CWE-427, uncontrolled search path element. The listed CVSS 3.1 vector is AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, score 6.7. Sources describe DLL loading behavior in ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x and 5.x on Windows, with potential arbitrary code execution.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Microsoft Windows systems running Rockwell Automation ISaGRAF Runtime versions 4.x or 5.x. Organizations may also see exposure through products or deployments that embed this runtime, as indicated by downstream vendor advisories.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not identify active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV. The attack is local, not remote, and the CVSS vector requires high privileges, although the description also says local unauthenticated attacker.
Researcher notes
The evidence is specific to ISaGRAF Runtime on Windows. The source bundle contains a wording tension: the description says local unauthenticated attacker, while the CVSS vector uses PR:H. Do not assume remote exploitability or active exploitation without additional vendor evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Check Rockwell Automation advisory 1131699 for supported fixes or mitigations.
- Review CISA ICSA-20-280-01 for vendor guidance and operational recommendations.
- Identify downstream products using ISaGRAF Runtime and review their vendor advisories.
- Reduce unnecessary local access to affected Windows runtime hosts.
- Prioritize remediation where affected hosts support critical industrial operations.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Windows hosts for ISaGRAF Runtime 4.x and 5.x.
- Confirm whether third-party products embed the affected runtime.
- Compare installed runtime versions against Rockwell and CISA advisory guidance.
- Check whether Schneider Electric or Xylem advisories apply to your deployments.
- Document whether compensating controls restrict local access to affected hosts.
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-427: 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 lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2020-25182 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
- 6.7 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H0.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.7MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.