CVE-2016-7830 in PCS-XG100
Summary
by MITRE
Sony PCS-XG100, PCS-XG100S, PCS-XG100C, PCS-XG77, PCS-XG77S, PCS-XG77C devices with firmware versions prior to Ver.1.51 and PCS-XC1 devices with firmware version prior to Ver.1.22 allow an attacker on the same network segment to bypass authentication to perform administrative operations via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7830 affects a range of Sony network video recording devices including the PCS-XG100, PCS-XG100S, PCS-XG100C, PCS-XG77, PCS-XG77S, PCS-XG77C, and PCS-XC1 models. These devices operate within network video surveillance environments where authentication mechanisms are critical for protecting administrative functions and ensuring system integrity. The flaw exists in firmware versions prior to specific thresholds, with the PCS-XG100 series requiring firmware version 1.51 or later and the PCS-XC1 series needing firmware version 1.22 or later to mitigate the vulnerability. This authentication bypass represents a significant security weakness that directly impacts the principle of least privilege and access control within these networked security devices.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication checks that allow unauthenticated network traffic to execute administrative operations on affected devices. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw may involve improper session management, weak credential handling, or flawed access control mechanisms within the device's web interface or network protocols. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and potentially CWE-305 which deals with authentication bypass through multiple attempts or flawed authentication logic. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform administrative functions without proper credentials, which could include changing system configurations, modifying user accounts, accessing recorded video data, or disabling security features.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers within the same network segment to assume administrative privileges without authentication. This creates a significant risk for network video surveillance systems where these devices often contain sensitive security footage and critical system configurations. Attackers could potentially modify surveillance parameters, delete recorded footage, create backdoors, or disable security monitoring capabilities. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only network proximity rather than complex exploitation techniques, making it accessible to attackers who may have gained physical access to the network or are conducting man-in-the-middle attacks. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials use and T1566 which involves credential harvesting through network attacks.
Organizations should immediately implement network segmentation to isolate these devices from general network traffic and restrict access to administrative functions through firewall rules. The most effective mitigation involves upgrading firmware to the patched versions specified in the vendor advisories, which typically include strengthened authentication mechanisms and proper session management. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative access patterns, and regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other networked security devices. Additional protective measures include implementing network access control lists, disabling unnecessary services, and ensuring that administrative access is restricted to authorized personnel only through secure channels such as VPN connections or dedicated management networks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping network security devices updated and highlights the critical need for proper authentication mechanisms in all network-accessible administrative interfaces.