CVE-2016-8362 in OnCell
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Moxa OnCell OnCellG3470A-LTE, AWK-1131A/3131A/4131A Series, AWK-3191 Series, AWK-5232/6232 Series, AWK-1121/1127 Series, WAC-1001 V2 Series, WAC-2004 Series, AWK-3121-M12-RTG Series, AWK-3131-M12-RCC Series, AWK-5232-M12-RCC Series, TAP-6226 Series, AWK-3121/4121 Series, AWK-3131/4131 Series, and AWK-5222/6222 Series. Any user is able to download log files by accessing a specific URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-8362 represents a critical information disclosure flaw affecting multiple Moxa industrial networking devices including various OnCell and AWK series models. This weakness stems from inadequate access controls within the device web interfaces, allowing any authenticated or unauthenticated user to retrieve sensitive system log files through direct URL manipulation. The affected devices operate in industrial control environments where security is paramount, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology infrastructure. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in implementing proper authorization mechanisms, enabling unauthorized data access that could compromise system integrity and operational security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the web server component failing to validate user permissions before serving log file content. When users access specific URL paths designed to retrieve system logs, the device does not properly verify whether the requesting user has appropriate authorization levels to access such sensitive information. This represents a classic access control bypass vulnerability that aligns with CWE-285, which specifically addresses improper authorization in software systems. The flaw exists at the application layer where the device's web interface fails to enforce proper authentication and authorization checks before delivering confidential data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to industrial environments where these devices are deployed. System logs typically contain sensitive information including network configurations, user activities, system errors, and potentially credentials or communication patterns that could be exploited by attackers. The ability to download these logs without proper authorization creates opportunities for threat actors to gather intelligence about network topology, system vulnerabilities, and operational procedures. This information could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including lateral movement within networks, credential harvesting, or targeted exploitation of other system weaknesses. The vulnerability particularly impacts environments governed by standards such as NIST SP 800-82 and IEC 62443 that emphasize the importance of securing industrial control systems.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper access controls and authentication mechanisms within the device web interfaces. Device administrators should ensure that all web services properly validate user permissions before serving sensitive content including log files. This involves implementing role-based access control systems where different user levels have appropriate access rights to system resources. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to administrative interfaces, while also ensuring that log file access is restricted to authorized personnel only. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and firmware updates as recommended by NIST guidelines for industrial control systems. Organizations should implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and establish procedures for rapid response to potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, the affected devices should be updated with patched firmware versions provided by Moxa to address this specific access control weakness.