CVE-2019-10970 in PanelView 5510
Summary
by MITRE
In Rockwell Automation PanelView 5510 (all versions manufactured before March 13, 2019 that have never been updated to v4.003, v5.002, or later), a remote, unauthenticated threat actor with access to an affected PanelView 5510 Graphic Display, upon successful exploit, may boot-up the terminal and gain root-level access to the device?s file system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-10970 represents a critical security flaw in Rockwell Automation PanelView 5510 graphic display terminals that affects all versions manufactured prior to March 13, 2019 and not subsequently updated to v4.003, v5.002, or later versions. This issue constitutes a severe remote code execution vulnerability that allows unauthorized threat actors to gain complete administrative control over affected devices without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the device's boot process, creating an attack vector that can be exploited from external network positions.
The technical flaw manifests in the device's initialization and boot sequence where insufficient validation of input parameters allows malicious actors to manipulate the system startup process. This weakness enables an attacker to inject arbitrary code during the terminal's boot-up phase, ultimately resulting in root-level privilege escalation. The vulnerability specifically affects the device's file system access controls, allowing unauthorized users to gain complete administrative access to the underlying operating system. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and represents a classic privilege escalation flaw that can be exploited remotely without authentication requirements. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it allows threat actors to execute code with the highest possible privileges, effectively compromising the entire device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables threat actors to establish persistent control over industrial control systems. Once root access is achieved, attackers can modify system files, install backdoors, alter operational parameters, and potentially disrupt critical manufacturing processes. The vulnerability affects industrial environments where these devices are commonly deployed, including manufacturing plants, process control facilities, and other industrial settings where PanelView 5510 terminals serve as human-machine interfaces. The lack of authentication requirements makes this particularly dangerous in environments where physical security measures may be insufficient or where devices are accessible from external networks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) techniques, as it allows for remote command execution with elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-10970 require immediate implementation of firmware updates to versions v4.003, v5.002, or later releases provided by Rockwell Automation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate affected devices from general network access, particularly ensuring that these industrial devices are not directly accessible from external networks. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual boot patterns or unauthorized access attempts. Physical security measures must be reinforced around affected terminals, and regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify other potentially unpatched industrial control system components. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware in industrial environments and demonstrates how legacy systems can remain vulnerable to exploitation long after their initial deployment, emphasizing the need for comprehensive industrial cybersecurity management programs that include regular patching and vulnerability assessment protocols.