CVE-2017-7970 in PowerSCADA Anywhere
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability exists in Schneider Electric's PowerSCADA Anywhere v1.0 redistributed with PowerSCADA Expert v8.1 and PowerSCADA Expert v8.2 and Citect Anywhere version 1.0 that allows the ability to specify Arbitrary Server Target Nodes in connection requests to the Secure Gateway and Server components.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7970 represents a significant security flaw within Schneider Electric's PowerSCADA Anywhere software ecosystem, specifically affecting versions redistributed with PowerSCADA Expert v8.1 and v8.2, as well as Citect Anywhere version 1.0. This vulnerability resides in the secure gateway and server components of the industrial control system architecture, where the software fails to properly validate server target nodes specified in connection requests. The flaw allows unauthorized parties to manipulate the connection parameters and redirect communication to arbitrary server targets, effectively bypassing intended network security controls. This issue fundamentally undermines the trust model of the secure communication channels that industrial control systems rely upon for operational technology security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the connection request handling mechanism of the Secure Gateway and Server components. When clients attempt to establish connections to the PowerSCADA Anywhere system, the software processes server target node specifications without adequate sanitization or verification of their legitimacy. This weakness creates a path for attackers to inject malicious server targets into connection requests, potentially redirecting traffic to unauthorized endpoints. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically affects the authentication and connection establishment phases of the secure communication protocol. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, which encompasses issues where software fails to properly validate inputs before processing them. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates within industrial control system environments where network segmentation and access controls are critical for maintaining operational integrity and preventing lateral movement by threat actors.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7970 extends beyond simple network redirection, creating potential pathways for advanced persistent threats and industrial espionage activities within critical infrastructure environments. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish unauthorized communication channels with rogue servers, potentially enabling man-in-the-middle attacks, data exfiltration, or even system compromise. The vulnerability affects the core security architecture of PowerSCADA Anywhere, which is designed to protect industrial control systems from external threats while maintaining secure communications between distributed components. This weakness creates opportunities for attackers to disrupt critical operations or gain unauthorized access to sensitive operational technology environments. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1071.004 category for application layer protocol manipulation, where adversaries manipulate application protocols to achieve their objectives. The impact is particularly severe in environments where PowerSCADA Anywhere serves as a critical communication bridge between field devices and central control systems, as unauthorized redirection could lead to complete operational disruption or safety system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7970 should focus on both immediate operational controls and long-term architectural improvements within industrial control system environments. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate PowerSCADA Anywhere components from general network traffic, reducing the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Network access controls should be configured to restrict connection requests to known and trusted server targets, while implementing monitoring for unusual connection patterns or attempts to establish connections to unexpected endpoints. The software vendors have released patches and updates that address the input validation issues, requiring immediate deployment of these security updates across affected systems. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for unusual connection attempts or protocol anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security configurations should include mandatory authentication requirements for all connection attempts and regular security audits of connection parameters and network communications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in industrial control systems, where security failures can have cascading effects on operational technology environments. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically tailored for industrial control system security events, ensuring rapid detection and remediation of similar vulnerabilities that may exist within their operational technology infrastructure.