CVE-2012-6428 in Eos-box Photovoltaic Monitoring System
Summary
by MITRE
Carlo Gavazzi EOS-Box with firmware before 1.0.0.1080_2.1.10 establishes multiple hardcoded accounts, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain administrative access by reading a password in a PHP script, a similar issue to CVE-2012-5862.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2025
The CVE-2012-6428 vulnerability affects Carlo Gavazzi EOS-Box devices running firmware versions prior to 1.0.0.1080_2.1.10, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the device's authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from the inclusion of hardcoded administrative accounts within the device's firmware, creating a persistent backdoor that significantly weakens the overall security posture. The flaw manifests through the presence of hardcoded credentials embedded directly within PHP scripts, making them easily discoverable by remote attackers who can simply read these credentials to gain unauthorized administrative access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hardcoded credentials in software applications, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices that mandate the avoidance of static authentication mechanisms. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can remotely access the device's administrative interface without requiring any legitimate credentials, effectively bypassing all authentication controls. The PHP script containing the hardcoded password serves as the primary vector for exploitation, as it allows unauthorized users to extract the administrative credentials through simple file reading operations or by examining the source code of the web interface.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for industrial control systems and network infrastructure that rely on Carlo Gavazzi EOS-Box devices for monitoring and control functions. The ability to gain administrative access remotely without proper authentication means that attackers can potentially manipulate device configurations, disrupt services, or establish persistent access points within the network. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where these devices are deployed in critical infrastructure scenarios, as the compromised device can serve as a foothold for broader network infiltration attacks, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for legitimate credentials and T1566 for social engineering through credential access.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper firmware security management and the necessity of regular security updates in industrial environments. Organizations using affected devices should immediately implement firmware updates to address this issue, as the hardcoded credentials provide attackers with an extremely low-effort path to administrative access. Security monitoring should include detection of unauthorized access attempts and changes to device configurations, while network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability also highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of embedded systems and the importance of avoiding hardcoded credentials in production environments, as outlined in various security standards and best practices for industrial control systems security.