CVE-2017-14009 in MultiFLEX M10a Controller
Summary
by MITRE
An Information Exposure issue was discovered in ProMinent MultiFLEX M10a Controller web interface. When an authenticated user uses the Change Password feature on the application, the current password for the user is specified in plaintext. This may allow an attacker who has been authenticated to gain access to the password.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2019
The CVE-2017-14009 vulnerability represents a critical information exposure flaw within the ProMinent MultiFLEX M10a Controller web interface, demonstrating a fundamental weakness in authentication handling mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically manifests during the password change process, where the system fails to properly secure sensitive authentication data. The flaw occurs when an authenticated user attempts to modify their password through the web application interface, creating an exploitable condition that compromises user credential security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of password data within the web application's change password functionality. When users submit their current password for verification purposes, the system stores and transmits this information in plaintext format rather than employing appropriate cryptographic protection measures. This design flaw directly violates established security principles for credential management and represents a clear violation of the CWE-312 weakness category, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper handling of credentials.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations utilizing ProMinent MultiFLEX M10a controllers in industrial environments. The attacker must first establish legitimate authentication to the system, but once authenticated, they can exploit this flaw to obtain the plaintext password of their current session. This creates a privilege escalation scenario where authenticated users can potentially access credentials belonging to other users within the same system, undermining the fundamental security model of user authentication. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as it can enable attackers to maintain persistent access to industrial control systems.
The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform lateral movement within the network, potentially accessing other systems that share the same credentials. The plaintext exposure creates a direct path for attackers to obtain valid authentication tokens that can be used to compromise additional system components. This represents a critical weakness in the principle of least privilege, as the system fails to properly protect user credentials even when they are legitimate.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling or restricting the password change functionality until a proper fix is applied, implementing additional authentication layers, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of all web application interfaces. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices for authentication mechanisms and demonstrates why proper input validation and credential handling should be prioritized during application development. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual authentication patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.