dbcve.org
Factorytalk OptixApplication · Rockwellautomation

CVE-2025-9161

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-09-09
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1.6.0 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 security issue exists within FactoryTalk Optix MQTT broker due to the lack of URI sanitization. This flaw enables the loading of remote Mosquito plugins, which can be used to achieve remote code execution.

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

FactoryTalk Optix MQTT broker lacks URI sanitization, allowing attackers to specify remote Mosquito plugin locations. When the broker loads these remote plugins, it enables arbitrary code execution on the affected system.

MitigationUpdate to vendor-provided patch when available; if unavailable, disable MQTT broker functionality or restrict network access to prevent untrusted plugin loading.

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
Factorytalk OptixApplication
Affected:>= 1.5.0, < 1.6.0

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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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 FactoryTalk Optix installed version
    Locate the FactoryTalk Optix installation directory and check the version file or application properties. Common paths include C:\Program Files\Rockwell Automation\FactoryTalk Optix\ or check Add/Remove Programs for the installed version.
    Affected if Installed version is >= 1.5.0 and < 1.6.0
  2. Identify if MQTT broker functionality is enabled
    Examine the FactoryTalk Optix project files (typically .optix or project folder) for MQTT broker configuration files. Look for files named mqttbroker.config, broker.xml, or similar in the project structure. Also check if the MQTTBroker module is referenced in the project runtime configuration.
    Affected if MQTT broker is configured or enabled in the project
  3. Inspect MQTT broker plugin configuration
    In the MQTT broker configuration files, look for entries under <plugins>, <plugin>, or <proxy_plugin> sections. Check for URI, location, or path attributes that specify remote or external plugin sources.
    Affected if Remote/plugin URI settings exist that point to external locations rather than local built-in plugins only
  4. Verify network exposure of MQTT broker
    Check the MQTT broker configuration for binding addresses and port settings. Look for listener configurations in the broker settings to determine if the broker is bound to 0.0.0.0, external interfaces, or remains on localhost only.
    Affected if MQTT broker is accessible on network interfaces other than localhost loopback

User is affected if FactoryTalk Optix version is between 1.5.0 and 1.6.0 (exclusive) AND the MQTT broker with remote plugin loading capability is enabled in their project configuration.

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 1.6.0 or later
Fixed in 1.6.0
Interim mitigation

Update to vendor-provided patch when available; if unavailable, disable MQTT broker functionality or restrict network access to prevent untrusted plugin loading.

Recommended fix High confidence

FactoryTalk Optix 1.6.0

  1. 1. Back up all project files, configurations, and runtime data for FactoryTalk Optix prior to initiating the upgrade.
  2. 2. Ensure the upgrade is performed in a non-production environment first to validate compatibility with existing applications.
  3. 3. Download FactoryTalk Optix version 1.6.0 or later from the official Rockwell Automation download portal.
  4. 4. Install the updated version following the standard FactoryTalk Optix installation procedure.
  5. 5. After installation, verify that the MQTT broker configuration no longer allows loading remote Mosquitto plugins via unsanitized URIs.
  6. 6. Test all MQTT-dependent applications to confirm functionality is preserved.
  7. 7. Deploy the updated version to production after successful validation.

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

Fix this in Factorytalk Optix Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA6.0 h
42.0 hours of engineering $7,360
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $11,776.

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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-2025-9161 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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