CVE-2016-4494 in Controls BAC-5051E
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability on KMC Controls BAC-5051E devices with firmware before E0.2.0.2 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified victims for requests that disclose the contents of a configuration file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2019
The CVE-2016-4494 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting KMC Controls BAC-5051E industrial control devices running firmware versions prior to E0.2.0.2. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of these devices, which are commonly deployed in industrial environments for building automation and control systems. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the lack of proper authentication verification mechanisms when processing requests, allowing unauthorized parties to perform administrative actions on behalf of legitimate users without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of anti-forgery tokens or other sufficient validation mechanisms within the device's web interface. When a victim visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link while authenticated to the BAC-5051E device, the attacker can construct requests that appear legitimate to the device's authentication system. This occurs because the device fails to validate the origin of requests or verify that the request was intentionally initiated by the authenticated user. The vulnerability specifically targets the configuration file disclosure functionality, which allows an attacker to retrieve sensitive system information that could aid in further exploitation or understanding of the device's operational environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to critical configuration data that may include network settings, user credentials, device parameters, and other sensitive operational information. This disclosure can significantly compromise the security posture of industrial control systems, potentially enabling attackers to identify network topology, understand device capabilities, and plan more sophisticated attacks against the broader industrial network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects devices in environments where security is paramount, such as manufacturing facilities, power plants, and other critical infrastructure sectors where unauthorized access to control systems can have severe operational and safety implications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4494 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to version E0.2.0.2 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the CSRF vulnerability. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks, while also ensuring that administrative interfaces are not directly accessible from public networks. Additional protective measures include implementing network monitoring to detect unusual patterns of configuration file access attempts, establishing secure remote access protocols such as VPNs for administrative access, and conducting regular security assessments of industrial control systems. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a significant concern under NIST SP 800-82 guidelines for industrial control systems security. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 for credential access through social engineering, as attackers may exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to privileged information. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CSRF requests targeting these industrial devices, particularly in environments where the devices are exposed to external networks or where traditional network segmentation is insufficient to prevent unauthorized access attempts.