CVE-2018-7232 in Pelco Sarix Professional
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability exists in Schneider Electric's Pelco Sarix Professional in all firmware versions prior to 3.29.67 which could allow execution of commands due to lack of validation of the shell meta characters with the value of 'network.ieee8021x.delete_certs'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7232 affects Schneider Electric's Pelco Sarix Professional IP camera series, representing a critical command injection flaw that undermines the device's security posture. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of shell meta characters within the network.ieee8021x.delete_certs parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on the affected devices. The issue impacts all firmware versions prior to 3.29.67, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple device deployments within industrial and commercial security infrastructures. The flaw specifically resides in how the system processes user-supplied input when handling IEEE 802.1x certificate deletion operations, where shell metacharacters are not properly sanitized or escaped before being processed by underlying system commands.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a command injection pattern that aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94, where unvalidated input flows directly into shell execution contexts. Attackers can manipulate the network.ieee8021x.delete_certs parameter to inject shell commands that bypass normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. This occurs because the system fails to implement proper input validation or sanitization routines that would prevent the interpretation of special shell characters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service account, which typically operates with elevated system permissions. This type of flaw represents a classic example of improper input validation that enables privilege escalation and remote code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7232 extends beyond simple command execution, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of security-critical surveillance infrastructure. In industrial environments where Pelco Sarix cameras serve as part of critical security systems, this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain persistent access to networked security devices, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The implications are particularly severe in environments where these cameras are deployed as part of larger security ecosystems, as they may be used to pivot into adjacent network segments or to establish persistent backdoors for further exploitation. The vulnerability also violates fundamental security principles outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.001 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where adversaries leverage legitimate system tools to execute malicious commands. Organizations utilizing these devices face significant risk of unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and potential disruption of critical security operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7232 require immediate firmware updates to version 3.29.67 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures including restricting network access to these devices, implementing strict firewall rules that limit communication to authorized management interfaces, and monitoring for unusual command execution patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices as recommended by OWASP and ISO/IEC 27001 security standards. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected devices within their network infrastructure and ensure that all security-critical devices are maintained with up-to-date firmware versions. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access control measures can limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular security audits and penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other networked devices that may be susceptible to similar command injection flaws.