CVE-2019-18287 in SPPA-T3000 Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in SPPA-T3000 Application Server (All versions). The Application Server exposes directory listings and files containing sensitive information. This vulnerability is independent from CVE-2019-18286. Please note that an attacker needs to have access to the Application Highway in order to exploit this vulnerability. At the time of advisory publication no public exploitation of this security vulnerability was known.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-18287 affects the SPPA-T3000 Application Server, a critical component in industrial automation environments that serves as a central platform for process control and monitoring systems. This vulnerability represents a significant security weakness that exposes directory listings and sensitive files to unauthorized access, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of industrial control systems. The SPPA-T3000 platform is widely deployed in critical infrastructure sectors including power generation, oil and gas, and manufacturing facilities where system reliability and security are paramount. The vulnerability specifically manifests as improper access controls that allow directory traversal and information disclosure, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors targeting industrial control systems.
This security flaw constitutes a directory listing vulnerability that falls under the CWE-548 category of Information Exposure Through Directory Listing, where the application inadvertently reveals directory contents without proper access controls. The technical implementation appears to lack adequate authentication mechanisms for accessing directory structures, allowing unauthenticated users to browse and potentially access sensitive files that may contain configuration data, user credentials, system logs, or other confidential information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard web-based interfaces. According to the ATT&CK framework, this represents a technique categorized under T1083 - File and Directory Discovery, where adversaries attempt to enumerate file systems and directory structures to identify valuable targets for further exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential pathways for attackers to gather intelligence about the system architecture and identify additional vulnerabilities. Attackers with access to the Application Highway, as specified in the advisory, can leverage this weakness to map the application server's file structure and potentially discover sensitive data stored in accessible directories. This could include configuration files containing database connection strings, API keys, or other credentials that might facilitate further compromise of the industrial control environment. The vulnerability's exploitation requires prior access to the Application Highway, indicating that it operates within a specific network context where internal network access has already been compromised or where the system has been configured with inadequate network segmentation.
The lack of known public exploitation at the time of advisory publication does not diminish the severity of this vulnerability, as it represents a fundamental security flaw that could be weaponized by threat actors with sufficient access privileges. The vulnerability's impact is particularly significant in industrial environments where the SPPA-T3000 serves as a critical control system component, making it a potential target for advanced persistent threats that may seek to disrupt operations or gain deeper access to industrial control networks. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader threat landscape that includes both external and internal attack vectors, particularly in environments where proper network segmentation and access controls have not been implemented. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling directory listing features, implementing proper access controls, and ensuring that sensitive files are not stored in accessible directories. The vulnerability underscores the importance of securing industrial control systems against information disclosure attacks that could lead to more severe compromise scenarios and highlights the need for comprehensive security assessments of critical infrastructure platforms.