CVE-2015-6473 in IO 750-849
Summary
by MITRE
WAGO IO 750-849 01.01.27 and WAGO IO 750-881 01.02.05 does not contain privilege separation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6473 affects WAGO IO 750-849 01.01.27 and WAGO IO 750-881 01.02.05 industrial automation devices that lack proper privilege separation mechanisms. This represents a critical security weakness in industrial control systems where the absence of privilege separation creates significant attack surface opportunities. The affected devices operate within industrial environments where security is paramount for operational technology infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for critical infrastructure sectors.
The technical flaw manifests as the absence of privilege separation between different operational components within these WAGO industrial I/O modules. Privilege separation is a fundamental security principle that ensures different system components operate with the minimum necessary privileges to perform their functions. Without this separation, malicious actors could potentially escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to system functions that should be restricted. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and creates opportunities for attackers to compromise the entire industrial control system. The vulnerability falls under CWE-276, which specifically addresses improper privilege management, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers exploit for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple security concerns into potential safety and operational disruption risks within industrial environments. Attackers who exploit this weakness could potentially gain unauthorized access to industrial control functions, leading to unauthorized system modifications, data manipulation, or even physical safety hazards in industrial processes. The affected devices are commonly used in critical infrastructure applications including manufacturing, power generation, and process control systems where unauthorized access could result in significant financial losses, environmental damage, or safety risks. The lack of privilege separation means that a compromised component could potentially affect the entire system rather than being contained to a single vulnerable module.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and industrial security teams. The primary recommendation involves implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks. Organizations should deploy network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and implement secure configuration practices that minimize the attack surface. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar privilege separation weaknesses in other industrial control system components. The remediation process should include firmware updates from WAGO when available, though the vulnerability may require architectural changes to implement proper privilege separation mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically designed for industrial environments to monitor for suspicious activities that could indicate exploitation attempts against these devices.