CVE-2018-13799 in SIMATIC WinCC
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC WinCC OA V3.14 and prior (All versions < V3.14-P021). Improper access control to a data point of the affected product could allow an unauthenticated remote user to escalate its privileges in the context of SIMATIC WinCC OA V3.14. This vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker with network access to port 5678/TCP of the SIMATIC WinCC OA V3.14 server. Successful exploitation requires no user privileges and no user interaction. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to compromise integrity and availability of the SIMATIC WinCC OA system. At the time of advisory publication no public exploitation of this vulnerability was known.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
This vulnerability exists within SIMATIC WinCC OA V3.14 and earlier versions, representing a critical access control flaw that enables unauthenticated remote privilege escalation. The affected system operates on port 5678/TCP, making it susceptible to exploitation over the network without requiring any authentication credentials or user interaction. The vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions when accessing specific data points within the system. This weakness allows attackers to elevate their privileges from unauthenticated status to full system access, effectively bypassing the normal security boundaries that should protect the industrial automation platform. The flaw specifically affects the data point access control implementation, which is fundamental to maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized modifications to critical operational parameters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined attack pattern that aligns with common privilege escalation techniques documented in cybersecurity frameworks. Attackers can leverage the exposed port 5678/TCP to establish remote connections and exploit the flawed access control logic, which operates under the assumption that legitimate access controls are sufficient to prevent unauthorized access. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically addressing improper access control where system resources are not properly protected from unauthorized access. The attack vector requires only network connectivity to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in industrial environments where operational technology systems may be directly connected to corporate networks or exposed to external network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it compromises the integrity and availability of the entire SIMATIC WinCC OA system. Successful exploitation allows attackers to modify critical operational data, potentially disrupting industrial processes and causing significant operational downtime. The vulnerability's ability to enable remote privilege escalation without user interaction means that attackers can compromise the system automatically, making detection and prevention more challenging. This threat is particularly concerning in industrial control systems where the integrity of operational data directly impacts safety and production continuity. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of the system, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate process variables, access sensitive operational data, or even cause physical damage to industrial equipment through unauthorized system modifications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate the affected systems from general network access, disabling the vulnerable port 5678/TCP when not required, and applying the vendor-provided patches or updates that address this specific access control flaw. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual network connections to port 5678/TCP and anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation in industrial control systems, as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and IEC 62443 standards. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as network access control lists, intrusion detection systems, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their industrial control environments. The lack of known public exploitation at the time of advisory publication does not diminish the severity of the vulnerability, as the potential for automated exploitation exists and the impact on industrial operations could be catastrophic.