CVE-2025-3286
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA local code execution vulnerability exists in the Rockwell Automation Arena® due to a threat actor being able to read outside of the allocated memory buffer. The flaw is a result of improper validation of user-supplied data. If exploited a threat actor can disclose information and execute arbitrary code on the system. To exploit the vulnerability a legitimate user must open a malicious DOE file.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA buffer over-read vulnerability exists in Rockwell Automation Arena® simulation software due to improper validation of user-supplied data when parsing DOE files. An attacker can read outside allocated memory boundaries, leading to information disclosure and potential arbitrary code execution on the affected system.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 16.20.09CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify Arena software is installedCheck for Rockwell Automation Arena in the system program files directory (typically C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\Arena\) or look in Windows Add/Remove ProgramsAffected if Arena simulation software is present on the system
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Determine installed Arena versionRight-click the Arena executable (arena.exe) in the installation folder, select Properties, and view the Details tab for the version number. Alternatively, open Arena and go to Help > AboutAffected if The version number is lower than 16.20.09 (e.g., 16.20.00, 16.10.00, etc.)
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Check for DOE file association or recent usageSearch for .doe files on the system using File Explorer (type: .doe in the search box) or check recent file access in the Arena applicationAffected if Users routinely open or process DOE files in Arena, especially from untrusted sources
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Inspect DOE file handling behaviorAttempt to open a sample DOE file in Arena and monitor for unexpected crashes, errors, or abnormal memory usage via Task ManagerAffected if Opening DOE files causes application instability or access violations
The system is affected if Rockwell Automation Arena is installed with a version lower than 16.20.09 and users process DOE files within the software.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped16.20.09
Apply the vendor patch when available; until then, enforce user awareness to never open untrusted DOE files and consider implementing file sandboxing or endpoint detection for additional protection.
Arena version 16.20.09 or later
- Identify the current Arena version installed on the system
- Download Arena version 16.20.09 or later from the official Rockwell Automation website
- Ensure all local DOE files are backed up before upgrading
- Close any running instances of Arena
- Install the updated Arena version 16.20.09 or later
- Verify the installation was successful and the version number matches 16.20.09 or higher
- Test that legitimate DOE files open correctly after the upgrade
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-3286 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-3286 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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