CVE-2017-20024 in Solar-Log
Summary
by MITRE • 06/10/2022
A vulnerability was found in Solare Solar-Log 2.8.4-56/3.5.2-85. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is an unknown function. The manipulation leads to denial of service. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. Upgrading to version 3.5.3-86 is able to address this issue. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20024 affects the Solare Solar-Log monitoring system version 2.8.4-56 and 3.5.2-85, representing a significant security concern that impacts the operational integrity of solar energy monitoring infrastructure. This issue has been classified as problematic within the cybersecurity landscape, indicating that while the vulnerability may not be immediately exploitable, it poses substantial risks to system availability and reliability. The affected component involves an unknown function within the Solar-Log software architecture, suggesting that the flaw exists in a critical processing module that handles essential monitoring and data collection tasks for solar energy systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition that can be remotely exploited, eliminating the need for physical access or local network presence to initiate the attack. This remote exploit capability significantly amplifies the threat surface, as malicious actors can target systems from external networks without requiring direct access to the monitored solar installations. The flaw likely involves improper input validation or resource management within the affected function, potentially allowing attackers to send malformed requests or trigger specific code paths that cause the system to crash or become unresponsive. Such vulnerabilities typically fall under CWE-400, which encompasses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," and may also relate to CWE-119, "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer," depending on the specific implementation details.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system unavailability, potentially disrupting solar energy monitoring and reporting capabilities that are critical for performance optimization, maintenance scheduling, and regulatory compliance. When the Solar-Log system becomes unavailable due to denial of service, energy producers lose visibility into their solar installation performance, which can lead to delayed maintenance responses, inaccurate energy reporting, and potential financial losses. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers could target multiple installations simultaneously, creating cascading failures across solar energy networks and potentially affecting grid stability. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, "Endpoint Denial of Service," which specifically addresses attacks targeting the availability of endpoint systems. The impact is particularly concerning for industrial control systems and IoT devices that form part of the broader smart grid infrastructure, as these systems often operate with minimal redundancy and may not have robust fallback mechanisms.
The recommended remediation approach involves upgrading to version 3.5.3-86, which contains the necessary patches to address the underlying flaw in the affected function. This upgrade process should be carefully planned to minimize operational disruption to solar installations while ensuring complete protection against the vulnerability. System administrators should conduct thorough testing of the updated firmware in controlled environments before deployment to verify that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing monitoring configurations or third-party integration components. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Solar-Log systems to untrusted networks, while monitoring for suspicious network activity that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current firmware versions for industrial monitoring systems and the need for robust vulnerability management programs that can quickly address emerging threats in operational technology environments.