CVE-2018-17217 in ThingWorx Platform
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in PTC ThingWorx Platform 6.5 through 8.2. There is a hardcoded encryption key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17217 represents a critical security flaw within the PTC ThingWorx Platform versions 6.5 through 8.2, where a hardcoded encryption key is embedded within the software components. This issue falls under the category of weak cryptographic practices and directly violates fundamental security principles outlined in the CWE-327 weakness classification which addresses the use of insecure or weak cryptographic algorithms. The presence of a hardcoded key creates a fundamental security risk as it eliminates the possibility of dynamic key generation and management that is essential for maintaining confidentiality and integrity of encrypted data within the platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the developers embedding a static encryption key directly into the application source code or configuration files during the development lifecycle. This approach fundamentally undermines the security model of the platform by creating a single point of failure where an attacker who gains access to the application binaries or configuration files can easily extract the encryption key. The hardcoded nature of the key means that it remains unchanged across all deployments and instances, making it a persistent target for exploitation regardless of the environment or deployment configuration. This weakness creates a scenario where the entire encryption scheme becomes compromised once the key is discovered, as all encrypted data protected by this mechanism becomes vulnerable to decryption without authorization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information within the ThingWorx platform ecosystem. Attackers who successfully extract the hardcoded encryption key can decrypt communications, access stored data, and potentially manipulate the platform's security mechanisms. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using ThingWorx for industrial IoT solutions where the platform handles sensitive operational data, device communications, and business-critical information. The impact is amplified when considering that ThingWorx is designed for enterprise environments where security and data protection are paramount, making the presence of such a weakness particularly concerning from both compliance and operational security perspectives.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies that include updating to patched versions of the ThingWorx Platform where the hardcoded key has been replaced with a proper dynamic key management system. The remediation process should involve comprehensive security assessments of all deployed instances and implementation of proper key rotation mechanisms as recommended by the NIST SP 800-57 standard for cryptographic key management. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough code reviews to identify any other hardcoded credentials or keys that may exist within their software ecosystem, as this vulnerability represents a broader pattern of insecure development practices that could affect other components of the system. The ATT&CK framework classification for this vulnerability would fall under T1552.001 - Unsecured Credentials with the specific technique of hardcoded credentials, which is a common vector for privilege escalation and data exfiltration attacks in enterprise environments.