CVE-2018-13802 in ROX II
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in ROX II (All versions < V2.12.1). An authenticated attacker with a high-privileged user account access via SSH could circumvent restrictions in place and execute arbitrary operating system commands. Successful exploitation requires that the attacker has network access to the SSH interface in on port 22/tcp. The attacker must be authenticated to exploit the vulnerability. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13802 affects ROX II devices running versions prior to V2.12.1, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the system's access controls. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and privilege escalation mechanisms within the device's authentication framework, creating a pathway for authenticated high-privileged users to bypass established security restrictions. The vulnerability specifically targets the SSH interface operating on port 22/tcp, which serves as the primary remote access point for administrative operations. The flaw allows an attacker with valid credentials to escalate their privileges beyond the intended scope of their access level, effectively breaking down the security boundaries that should protect the system from unauthorized command execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a command injection flaw that occurs during the processing of authenticated user requests through the SSH protocol. When a high-privileged user establishes a connection to the device, the system fails to properly sanitize input parameters that are subsequently passed to underlying operating system commands. This weakness creates a direct pathway for arbitrary code execution, as the system does not adequately validate or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into system calls. The vulnerability manifests as a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement, where legitimate administrative access is improperly extended to allow unrestricted system command execution. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a classic privilege escalation vector that enables attackers to gain broader system control than initially intended.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2018-13802 extends beyond simple unauthorized code execution to potentially compromise the entire device infrastructure. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain root-level access to the system, enabling them to modify critical system files, install malicious software, or establish persistent backdoors within the network. The attack requires network access to port 22/tcp and valid authentication credentials, making it somewhat more difficult to exploit than unauthenticated vulnerabilities, but still represents a significant risk to device security. The vulnerability affects all versions of ROX II prior to V2.12.1, indicating that organizations running these older versions are particularly susceptible to this threat. This exposure could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of critical operations, especially in industrial control environments where ROX II devices are commonly deployed.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2018-13802 centers on immediate firmware updates to version V2.12.1 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the privilege escalation and command injection flaws. Organizations should also implement comprehensive network segmentation to limit access to the SSH interface, ensuring that only authorized administrative workstations can reach port 22/tcp. Additional security measures include implementing multi-factor authentication for SSH access, establishing strict access control policies, and conducting regular security audits to verify that no unauthorized access paths exist. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter, specifically focusing on the execution of system commands through legitimate administrative interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous SSH traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all administrative accounts maintain strong authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to the system.