CVE-2018-13804 in SIMATIC IT LMS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC IT LMS (All versions), SIMATIC IT Production Suite (Versions V7.1 < V7.1 Upd3), SIMATIC IT UA Discrete Manufacturing (Versions < V1.2), SIMATIC IT UA Discrete Manufacturing (Versions V1.2), SIMATIC IT UA Discrete Manufacturing (Versions V1.3), SIMATIC IT UA Discrete Manufacturing (Versions V2.3), SIMATIC IT UA Discrete Manufacturing (Versions V2.4). An attacker with network access to the installation could bypass the application-level authentication. In order to exploit the vulnerability, an attacker must obtain network access to an affected installation and must obtain a valid username to the system. Successful exploitation requires no user privileges and no user interaction. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to compromise confidentiality, integrity and availability of the system. At the time of advisory publication no public exploitation of this vulnerability was known.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2023
This vulnerability exists within Siemens industrial software products including SIMATIC IT LMS and various versions of SIMATIC IT Production Suite and UA Discrete Manufacturing platforms. The flaw represents a critical authentication bypass issue that allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to industrial control systems without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically affects multiple versions of Siemens industrial software components, creating widespread exposure across industrial automation environments. The authentication mechanism fails to properly validate access requests, enabling attackers to circumvent application-level security controls through network-based attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication validation within the application layer of Siemens industrial software solutions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by leveraging network access to the affected systems and utilizing valid username credentials to bypass the authentication process entirely. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The flaw operates at the application layer rather than network infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous in industrial environments where operational technology systems often lack robust network segmentation and monitoring controls. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal prerequisites beyond network connectivity and valid user credentials, making it highly accessible to threat actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass complete compromise of industrial control systems. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized modification of production processes, data manipulation, or complete system disruption that could affect manufacturing operations and safety systems. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability triad are all compromised as attackers can potentially access sensitive operational data, modify production parameters, or disrupt system functionality. This vulnerability poses significant risk to industrial environments where continuous operation and process integrity are paramount. The lack of user interaction requirements means that attacks could be automated and executed without detection, making the impact more severe in operational technology environments.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general network access. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to detect unusual authentication patterns or unauthorized access attempts. Regular patch management procedures must be established to ensure timely updates of Siemens software components. Access controls should be strengthened with multi-factor authentication mechanisms where possible, and privileged account management should be reviewed to minimize credential exposure. The vulnerability's nature suggests that organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their industrial control systems to identify similar authentication bypass issues. Given the industrial context, remediation efforts should be coordinated with operational technology teams to minimize production disruption while addressing the security gap. This vulnerability highlights the importance of securing industrial software components against authentication bypass attacks and demonstrates the need for robust security practices in operational technology environments.