Overview
An alarming cybersecurity vulnerability, CVE-2025-28389, has been identified in OpenC3 COSMOS v6.0.0. This vulnerability arises due to weak password requirements, allowing potential attackers to bypass authentication via a brute force attack. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it could lead to system compromise and data leakage, posing a significant threat to organizations using OpenC3 COSMOS v6.0.0. Ensuring the security of systems and data is crucial to businesses, hence it is imperative to understand this vulnerability and how to mitigate its risks.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-28389
Severity: Critical – CVSS Severity Score 9.8
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
OpenC3 COSMOS | v6.0.0
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability, CVE-2025-28389, is exploited through a network-based brute force attack. Due to weak password requirements in OpenC3 COSMOS v6.0.0, attackers can attempt numerous password combinations in a short amount of time. This eventually allows them to bypass the authentication process. Once bypassed, the attackers gain unauthorized access to the system, potentially leading to system compromise and data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
The following pseudocode represents a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited using a brute force attack:
import itertools
def brute_force_attack(host, username):
possible_passwords = itertools.product(range(10), repeat=4) # assuming 4 digit numeric password
for password in possible_passwords:
response = send_login_request(host, username, ''.join(map(str, password)))
if response.status_code == 200: # if login successful
return ''.join(map(str, password))
return None
def send_login_request(host, username, password):
# This is a placeholder function. In a real attack, this would
# send a network request to the target system.
pass
Above code will try all possible combinations of a four-digit numeric password and check the response. If the login is successful, the password is returned.
Mitigation Guidance
Users are recommended to immediately apply the vendor patch once it’s made available to address this vulnerability. In the meantime, as a temporary mitigation, users can employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to monitor and block suspicious activities, such as multiple failed login attempts, thereby preventing brute force attacks.