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ArenaApplication · Rockwellautomation

CVE-2025-3287

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-04-08
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 16.20.09 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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 · unedited
A local code execution vulnerability exists in the Rockwell Automation Arena® due to a stack-based memory buffer overflow. The flaw is 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 confidence

A stack-based buffer overflow in Rockwell Automation Arena® allows arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious DOE file. The vulnerability results from improper validation of user-supplied data during file parsing, enabling information disclosure and code execution.

MitigationRestrict DOE file handling to trusted sources and apply vendor patches when available; consider application whitelisting to block untrusted file execution.

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
ArenaApplication
Affected:< 16.20.09

CVSS 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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check if Rockwell Automation Arena is installed
    Look for Arena in the program files directory (typically C:\Program Files\Rockwell Automation\Arena or C:\Program Files (x86)\Rockwell Automation\Arena), or check the Windows Programs and Features list.
    Affected if Arena software is present on the system
  2. Determine the installed Arena version
    Open Arena, go to Help > About, or right-click the Arena executable in Program Files and select Properties > Details to view the version number.
    Affected if The version is lower than 16.20.09 (e.g., 16.20.00, 16.00.00, etc.)
  3. Check for DOE file association
    Attempt to locate .doe files on the system or check file associations in Windows Registry under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doe to see if Arena is set as the handler.
    Affected if DOE files are associated with Arena and can be opened by users
  4. Verify user ability to open file attachments
    Check if users have permissions to download or receive files from external sources and open them with Arena, or review email/web download restrictions.
    Affected if Users can import or open DOE files from untrusted or external sources

The environment is affected if Rockwell Automation Arena version 16.20.09 or higher is NOT installed AND users can open malicious DOE files within the application.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 16.20.09 or later
Fixed in 16.20.09
Interim mitigation

Restrict DOE file handling to trusted sources and apply vendor patches when available; consider application whitelisting to block untrusted file execution.

Recommended fix High confidence

Arena version 16.20.09

  1. 1. Obtain Arena version 16.20.09 from the official Rockwell Automation website or their trusted distribution channels.
  2. 2. Create a backup of all important Arena project files, templates, and custom configurations.
  3. 3. Uninstall the current version of Arena from the affected system.
  4. 4. Install the fixed version 16.20.09 using the official installer.
  5. 5. After installation, verify the version number matches 16.20.09 in the application's About or Help section.
  6. 6. Re-apply any custom configurations or restore project files from the backup.
  7. 7. Implement user training to avoid opening DOE files from untrusted or unknown sources, as exploitation requires user interaction.
Caveat No specific breaking changes documented in the provided material; standard upgrade precautions apply (backup data, test in non-production environment first)

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Arena Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
32.0 hours of engineering $5,600
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,960.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-3287 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data