CVE-2018-7233 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 'model_name' or 'mac_address'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7233 affects Schneider Electric's Pelco Sarix Professional video surveillance devices across all firmware versions prior to 3.29.67. This represents a critical security flaw that stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the device's command processing pipeline. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of shell meta characters in two critical parameters: 'model_name' and 'mac_address' which are typically used during device configuration and identification processes. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary commands through these parameters, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through command injection attacks that leverage shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, pipes, and backticks. When the device processes these parameters without proper sanitization, attackers can append malicious commands that get executed within the device's shell context. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category, specifically representing a command injection flaw that allows arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and sanitization, which is a fundamental security principle that should be enforced at all levels of system processing.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to security infrastructure deployments using Pelco Sarix devices. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially full system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code, modify device configurations, access stored video data, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. The attack surface is particularly concerning because these devices are often deployed in security-critical environments where their integrity is paramount. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in unpatched deployments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates to version 3.29.67 or later, which contain the necessary input validation patches. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other networked devices within the infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts, as exploitation typically involves command execution and may require legitimate access credentials. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the updated firmware to ensure that the patch does not disrupt existing device functionality while providing adequate protection against this and similar command injection vulnerabilities.