CVE-2015-6472 in IO 750-849
Summary
by MITRE
WAGO IO 750-849 01.01.27 and 01.02.05, WAGO IO 750-881, and WAGO IO 758-870 have weak credential management.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6472 affects several WAGO industrial I/O modules including the IO 750-849 series in versions 01.01.27 and 01.02.05, IO 750-881, and IO 758-870 devices. These industrial control modules are commonly deployed in industrial automation environments where secure authentication mechanisms are critical for operational technology systems. The weakness lies in the credential management implementation which fails to provide adequate protection against unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to industrial control systems where these devices are typically installed.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient credential handling mechanisms that allow attackers to potentially bypass authentication processes or exploit weak password policies. The vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and can be classified as CWE-521 Weak Password Requirements, which is a well-documented weakness in authentication systems. The affected devices likely implement default credentials or fail to enforce strong password complexity requirements, making them susceptible to brute force attacks or credential reuse attacks. This weakness directly impacts the security posture of industrial environments where these modules operate.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it can compromise entire industrial control systems. In industrial automation contexts, unauthorized access to I/O modules can lead to process manipulation, data corruption, or system disruption. Attackers who successfully exploit this weakness could potentially alter control signals, manipulate sensor readings, or gain control over critical industrial processes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where these devices are used for process control, monitoring, or safety-critical applications. The potential for cascading failures in industrial systems makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous from a cybersecurity perspective.
From a threat modeling standpoint, this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and defense evasion domains. The weakness enables adversaries to establish persistent access to industrial control systems, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks such as lateral movement within industrial networks or more targeted operations. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of credential compromise. Mitigation strategies include immediate credential updates to strong, unique passwords, disabling default accounts, and implementing network access controls. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure configuration management in industrial environments and demonstrates the necessity of regular security assessments of operational technology infrastructure.