# CVE-2025-9161: Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Optix Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Attackers can achieve remote code execution in Rockwell FactoryTalk Optix by exploiting unsanitized URIs to load malicious MQTT plugins.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 9 Sep 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h66j-7h34-g83p

## What is CVE-2025-9161?

CVE-2025-9161 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Optix, published on 9 Sep 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-9161?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rockwellautomation Factorytalk Optix.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-9161?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-9161 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-9161 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-9161 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-9161 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-9161 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Optix, published on 9 Sep 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-9161 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Optix. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-9161/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-9161/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-9161
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-9161
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-9161

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-9161/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.