CVE-2018-15705 in WebAccess
Summary
by MITRE
WADashboard API in Advantech WebAccess 8.3.1 and 8.3.2 allows remote authenticated attackers to write or overwrite any file on the filesystem due to a directory traversal vulnerability in the writeFile API. An attacker can use this vulnerability to remotely execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15705 affects the WADashboard API component within Advantech WebAccess versions 8.3.1 and 8.3.2, representing a critical directory traversal flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to manipulate the underlying filesystem. This vulnerability resides within the writeFile API functionality, which improperly handles user-supplied input without adequate validation or sanitization mechanisms. The flaw allows attackers who have already established authentication credentials to leverage this weakness for arbitrary file operations, including writing or overwriting critical system files. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as directory traversal or path traversal attacks. The security implications extend beyond simple file manipulation as this weakness creates a potential pathway for remote code execution, as attackers can overwrite system binaries or configuration files with malicious content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for industrial control systems and supervisory control and data acquisition environments where Advantech WebAccess is deployed. Organizations utilizing this software in manufacturing, energy, or critical infrastructure sectors face significant risk of system compromise, data corruption, or complete system takeover. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can escalate privileges by replacing legitimate executable files with malicious counterparts, potentially gaining persistent access to the affected systems. The vulnerability's remote execution capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, and the authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface complexity while still maintaining significant risk due to the potential for privilege escalation. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts, as it leverages legitimate authentication mechanisms to execute malicious operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected Advantech WebAccess versions to the latest secure releases. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the WADashboard API to only trusted administrative networks. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary API endpoints, implementing strict input validation for all file operations, and monitoring for suspicious file modification activities. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running affected software versions and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing file system manipulation attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms in industrial control system applications, as highlighted in NIST SP 800-84 guidelines for industrial control systems security. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting and file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized file modifications that may result from exploitation of this vulnerability.