CVE-2015-0993 in Inductive Automation Ignition
Summary
by MITRE
Inductive Automation Ignition 7.7.2 does not terminate a session upon a logout action, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by leveraging an unattended workstation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-0993 affects Inductive Automation Ignition version 7.7.2, a industrial automation platform used for building and deploying industrial control systems. This security flaw represents a critical session management weakness that directly impacts the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the software. The vulnerability occurs when users log out of the Ignition interface, but the system fails to properly terminate the active session, leaving the application in a state where unauthorized access can occur. This issue is particularly concerning in industrial environments where physical security controls may be minimal and workstations often remain unattended for extended periods.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper session handling implementation within the Ignition software's authentication subsystem. When a legitimate user performs a logout action, the system should invalidate the session token and remove all associated access rights. However, in this specific version, the logout process does not effectively destroy the session state, allowing attackers to reuse the existing session context. This behavior creates a persistent access vector that remains valid even after the intended user has completed their session. The vulnerability specifically affects the session termination logic and demonstrates poor adherence to secure session management practices that are fundamental to web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates a significant security risk in industrial control environments where unauthorized individuals could potentially gain access to critical system controls. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply accessing an unattended workstation after a legitimate user has logged out, thereby bypassing the intended access restrictions. This scenario is particularly dangerous in manufacturing and industrial settings where control systems manage physical processes and equipment that could be manipulated to cause operational disruptions, safety hazards, or financial losses. The vulnerability essentially transforms a controlled access environment into a potential attack surface where session hijacking becomes trivial.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration, and represents a failure to properly implement session management controls as recommended by industry standards. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through social engineering or physical access, as the vulnerability enables attackers to leverage unattended workstations for unauthorized access. Organizations implementing Ignition systems should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments and security controls, particularly in environments where physical security is not robust or where workstations remain unattended for extended periods. The issue underscores the importance of proper session termination and the need for comprehensive access control mechanisms in industrial automation systems.
Recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate software updates to the latest version of Ignition that addresses the session management flaw, implementation of automatic session timeout mechanisms, and deployment of additional access control measures such as screen locking and physical security controls. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their industrial control systems and implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability highlights the necessity of comprehensive security testing for industrial control systems and emphasizes that even seemingly minor session management issues can have significant operational impacts in critical infrastructure environments.