CVE-2017-9864 in Solar System
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in SMA Solar Technology products. An attacker can change the plant time even when not authenticated in any way. This changes the system time, possibly affecting lockout policies and random-number generators based on timestamps, and makes timestamps for data analysis unreliable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9864 represents a critical authentication flaw within SMA Solar Technology products that fundamentally undermines system security and operational integrity. This weakness allows unauthorized actors to manipulate the system time without any form of authentication, creating a significant vector for potential exploitation. The affected devices are commonly used in solar energy management systems where precise timekeeping is essential for proper operation and security mechanisms.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the SMA Solar Technology products, specifically targeting the system time configuration functionality. This vulnerability enables attackers to modify the plant time arbitrarily, which violates fundamental security principles of authentication and authorization. The absence of proper authentication requirements for time modification represents a direct violation of security design principles and creates a pathway for malicious actors to compromise system integrity. From a cybersecurity perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication vulnerabilities, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1070.004 for Indicator Removal on Host.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple time manipulation, creating cascading security implications throughout the affected systems. When system time is altered without authentication, it directly affects lockout policies that typically rely on timestamp-based mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access attempts. This modification can effectively disable or circumvent security controls designed to protect against brute force attacks and unauthorized access. Additionally, the vulnerability compromises random-number generators that depend on timestamps for entropy, potentially weakening cryptographic security measures. The unreliable timestamps also severely impact data analysis capabilities, making it impossible to accurately correlate events, track system behavior, or perform forensic investigations.
The consequences of this vulnerability are particularly concerning in industrial control systems and energy management environments where precise timing is crucial for operational efficiency and security monitoring. Solar energy systems often rely on synchronized operations and time-stamped data for optimal performance, and this flaw undermines the reliability of all time-dependent functions. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to conduct time-based attacks, manipulate system logs, and potentially disrupt energy generation and distribution processes. Organizations implementing SMA Solar Technology products face significant risks including potential operational disruption, compromised security monitoring, and challenges in maintaining regulatory compliance for industrial control systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9864 should focus on implementing proper authentication controls for all time-related configuration changes and ensuring that system time modifications require valid credentials. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit administrative access to critical system functions. Regular security assessments and firmware updates should be conducted to address known vulnerabilities. The implementation of time synchronization protocols with secure authentication mechanisms can help prevent unauthorized time modifications. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect and alert on unexpected time changes, as well as implement proper logging of all time-related configuration modifications for forensic analysis purposes. These measures align with security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-82 for industrial control systems and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management.