CVE-2016-9345 in DeltaV
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Emerson DeltaV Easy Security Management DeltaV V12.3, DeltaV V12.3.1, and DeltaV V13.3. Critical vulnerabilities may allow a local attacker to elevate privileges within the DeltaV control system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9345 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Emerson DeltaV Easy Security Management software versions 12.3, 12.3.1, and 13.3. This issue affects industrial control systems that utilize the DeltaV platform for process automation and security management. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and improper privilege validation mechanisms within the software architecture, creating a pathway for local attackers to gain elevated system privileges without proper authentication or authorization.
This technical flaw operates at the operating system level within the DeltaV environment, where insufficient input validation and privilege checking mechanisms allow malicious local users to exploit weaknesses in the security model. The vulnerability specifically targets the software's authentication and authorization processes, enabling attackers who already have local access to the system to escalate their privileges from standard user level to administrative or root level access. This represents a significant security weakness that undermines the fundamental security posture of the control system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it compromises the integrity and availability of the entire DeltaV control environment. An attacker with elevated privileges can manipulate security policies, modify system configurations, access sensitive operational data, and potentially disrupt industrial processes. The implications are particularly severe in industrial settings where DeltaV systems control critical infrastructure, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to compromise process safety, data integrity, and system availability. The vulnerability affects the core security management functions of the platform, potentially allowing unauthorized modifications to security policies that govern access to critical industrial processes.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying available vendor patches and updates, implementing strict access controls and privilege management policies, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their DeltaV environments. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized local access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privileges, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, regular privilege reviews, and enhanced logging to track privilege changes within the DeltaV environment. The risk assessment should include evaluating the operational impact on industrial processes and ensuring that security measures do not disrupt critical system operations.