CVE-2016-10041 in SPRECON-E Service Program
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Sprecher Automation SPRECON-E Service Program before 3.43 SP0. Under certain preconditions, it is possible to execute telegram simulation as a non-admin user. As prerequisites, a user must have created an online-connection, validly authenticated and authorized as administrator, and executed telegram simulation. After that, the online-connection must have been closed. Incorrect caching of client data then may lead to privilege escalation, where a subsequently acting non-admin user is permitted to do telegram simulation. In order to exploit this vulnerability, a potential attacker would need to have both a valid engineering-account in the SPRECON RBAC system as well as access to a service/maintenance computer with SPRECON-E Service Program running. Additionally, a valid admin-user must have closed the service connection beforehand without closing the program, having executed telegram simulation; the attacker then has access to the running software instance. Hence, there is no risk from external attackers.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10041 affects Sprecher Automation SPRECON-E Service Program versions prior to 3.43 SP0, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw within industrial control systems. This issue stems from improper handling of client data caching mechanisms within the RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) framework, creating a scenario where non-privileged users can potentially execute administrative functions. The vulnerability operates through a complex sequence of events involving session management and data persistence that ultimately undermines the security boundaries established by the system's access control model.
The technical flaw manifests through a specific caching mechanism that fails to properly invalidate client session data when connections are closed. When an administrator user establishes an online connection, authenticates successfully, and executes telegram simulation, the system caches relevant client information. However, when the connection is closed without properly terminating the application session, the cached data remains accessible to subsequent users. This caching behavior creates a window of opportunity where a non-admin user can leverage the cached administrative context to perform unauthorized telegram simulations. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it exploits legitimate user accounts and session management weaknesses to escalate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security architecture of industrial automation systems. In environments where SPRECON-E Service Program operates, such as manufacturing facilities or critical infrastructure, this vulnerability could enable attackers to manipulate communication protocols, potentially disrupting production processes or gaining unauthorized access to sensitive operational data. The requirement for a valid engineering account and physical access to service computers limits the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk, particularly in environments where insider threats or compromised credentials are possible. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of temporal security gaps where the system's state management fails to properly transition between authenticated and unauthenticated states.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate patching and operational security enhancements. Organizations must upgrade to SPRECON-E Service Program version 3.43 SP0 or later to address the core caching implementation flaw. Additionally, system administrators should implement strict session management policies that ensure proper termination of all client connections and application instances upon completion of administrative tasks. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit physical access to service computers running the SPRECON-E software. Monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual patterns of connection establishment and termination, particularly when administrative functions are performed. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing for industrial control systems, including analysis of session management, caching mechanisms, and access control implementations. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments to identify similar temporal security gaps in their industrial automation environments, as the underlying principles of this vulnerability could potentially affect other systems with similar session management architectures.