CVE-2013-6925 in Ruggedcom Rugged Operating System
Summary
by MITRE
The integrated HTTPS server in Siemens RuggedCom ROS before 3.12.2 allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions by predicting a session id value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-6925 affects Siemens RuggedCom ROS versions prior to 3.12.2, specifically targeting the integrated HTTPS server component. This issue represents a critical weakness in the session management mechanism that governs web-based administrative interfaces within industrial networking equipment. The vulnerability stems from insufficient randomness in session identifier generation, creating a predictable pattern that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to active user sessions.
The technical flaw manifests through weak cryptographic entropy in the session ID generation algorithm, which fails to produce sufficiently random values. This weakness directly violates established security principles outlined in CWE-330, which addresses the use of insufficiently random values in security contexts. Attackers can leverage this predictability to perform session hijacking attacks, where they intercept and reuse valid session identifiers to impersonate legitimate users. The vulnerability specifically impacts the HTTPS server implementation, which is designed to provide secure communication channels but fails to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of session state information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it compromises the fundamental security model of the affected industrial networking equipment. Network administrators who rely on the web-based interface for device management become vulnerable to persistent attacks that can remain undetected for extended periods. The attack vector requires only remote access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in operational technology environments where physical security measures may be limited. This vulnerability undermines the trust model that security-conscious organizations depend upon when managing critical infrastructure components.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of the vendor-provided patch for Siemens RuggedCom ROS 3.12.2, which addresses the session ID generation weakness by implementing cryptographically secure random number generation. Additional mitigations include network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious session activity patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through network sniffing and session hijacking, emphasizing the importance of proper session management in preventing unauthorized access to critical systems. Security teams should also consider implementing session timeout mechanisms and regular security assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other industrial control system components.