CVE-2016-5818 in PowerLogic PM8ECC
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Schneider Electric PowerLogic PM8ECC device 2.651 and older. Undocumented hard-coded credentials allow access to the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2020
The Schneider Electric PowerLogic PM8ECC is a power monitoring device commonly deployed in industrial environments for electrical power measurement and management. This device operates within critical infrastructure systems where unauthorized access can compromise operational integrity and security. The vulnerability exists in firmware versions 2.651 and earlier, representing a significant security risk for organizations relying on these devices for power management. The hard-coded credentials provide a backdoor access mechanism that bypasses normal authentication procedures, creating an inherent security weakness in the device's design.
The technical flaw manifests as the inclusion of hard-coded administrative credentials within the device firmware itself. These credentials are not properly secured or randomized during the manufacturing process, allowing any attacker who knows or discovers these values to gain immediate administrative access to the device. The presence of such hard-coded credentials violates fundamental security principles and represents a classic example of insecure credential storage as classified under CWE-259. This vulnerability specifically enables unauthorized users to bypass standard authentication mechanisms and gain full administrative privileges, including the ability to modify device configurations, access sensitive power monitoring data, and potentially disrupt critical power management operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential disruption of critical infrastructure operations. An attacker with administrative access could modify power monitoring parameters, alter configuration settings, or even disable security features that protect the device from further unauthorized access. This compromise could lead to operational disruptions, data integrity issues, or provide attackers with a persistent foothold within the industrial control system environment. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials, and represents a significant risk for organizations using these devices in critical infrastructure environments where power monitoring and management are essential for operations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates to versions that address this vulnerability, network segmentation to isolate these devices from critical systems, and regular security assessments to identify similar hard-coded credentials in other industrial equipment. The hard-coded credentials should be changed through proper firmware updates, and network access controls should be implemented to restrict access to these devices to authorized personnel only. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts and credential usage patterns that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure device provisioning and the need for robust credential management practices in industrial environments, as outlined in NIST SP 800-82 guidelines for industrial control systems security.