Overview
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system has identified a serious vulnerability present in the CS5000 Fire Panel systems, impacting a significant number of businesses worldwide. The vulnerability, catalogued as CVE-2025-41438, arises due to a default account that exists on the fire panel, which holds high-level permissions. This vulnerability is particularly critical because of the ease with which it can be exploited, potentially resulting in system compromise and data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-41438
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise, data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
CS5000 Fire Panel | All versions
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability stems from an unchanged default account present in all versions of the CS5000 Fire Panel. This account can be accessed through SSH and holds high-level permissions. An attacker can exploit this flaw by logging into the system using the default account credentials, thereby gaining access to the fire panel system with significant permissions. This could allow the attacker to manipulate the system’s operation or access sensitive data.
Conceptual Example Code
An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability using an SSH command to log in to the system using the default account. The conceptual example would look something like this:
ssh defaultaccount@<target-ip>
# The attacker now has access to the system with high-level permissionsRecommended Mitigations
The most optimal solution to this issue is to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, it is advisable to use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as temporary mitigations. Furthermore, the default account’s credentials should be changed immediately to prevent unauthorized access.