CVE-2025-59695

CVE-2025-59695 is a critical vulnerability in Entrust nShield Connect XC, nShield 5c, and nShield HSMi hardware security modules through firmware versions 13.6.11 or 13.7. It enables a user with OS root access to alter firmware on the Chassis Management Board without authentication, an issue tracked as F04 and mapped to CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function). The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), highlighting its severity due to network accessibility, low attack complexity, and high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

An attacker with root access on the host operating system can exploit this flaw remotely without additional privileges, user interaction, or authentication checks on the Chassis Management Board. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary firmware modification, potentially compromising the HSM's security functions, such as cryptographic key management and attestation.

Advisories are available in the Google security research advisory at https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-6q4x-m86j-gfwj and Entrust's HSM documentation at https://www.entrust.com/use-case/why-use-an-hsm. The CVE was published on 2025-12-02T15:15:55.010.