CVE-2019-18312 in SPPA-T3000 MS3000 Migration Server
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in SPPA-T3000 MS3000 Migration Server (All versions). An attacker with network access to the MS3000 Server could be able to enumerate running RPC services. Please note that an attacker needs to have network access to the MS3000 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-2019-18312 affects the SPPA-T3000 MS3000 Migration Server, a critical component in industrial automation systems used for managing and migrating process control data. This device operates within industrial control systems and supervisory control and data acquisition environments where security is paramount for operational continuity and safety. The MS3000 server serves as a migration platform for transferring data between different versions of the SPPA-T3000 system, making it a potential target for attackers seeking to compromise industrial processes. The vulnerability resides in the server's handling of remote procedure call (RPC) services, which are fundamental to distributed computing operations in industrial environments. RPC mechanisms enable different software components to execute procedures on remote systems as if they were local operations, making them essential for system integration and data flow management. The flaw allows for service enumeration, which means an attacker can discover what RPC services are actively running on the target system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and service discovery mechanisms within the MS3000 server implementation. When an attacker gains network access to the system, they can exploit the RPC enumeration functionality to identify active services without proper authentication or authorization. This represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability where the attacker can map the service landscape of the target system, potentially identifying additional attack vectors or service-specific weaknesses. The vulnerability specifically affects the server-side RPC service discovery implementation, where the system fails to properly restrict access to enumeration functions. This aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper access control mechanisms, and represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks in distributed system components. The RPC enumeration process typically involves querying service registries or listening ports to identify available procedures, and in this case, the server provides this information without adequate security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a foundation for more sophisticated attacks against the industrial control system. An attacker who can enumerate running RPC services gains valuable intelligence about the system architecture and service dependencies, which can be leveraged for privilege escalation or service-specific exploitation. This enumeration capability allows for targeted attacks against specific services that may have their own vulnerabilities or weak security configurations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in industrial environments where the MS3000 server may be part of a larger network of interconnected systems, potentially enabling lateral movement attacks. The lack of known public exploitation at the time of advisory publication does not diminish the risk, as this information disclosure creates opportunities for future attacks and represents a significant compromise of system security posture. The vulnerability affects all versions of the MS3000 Migration Server, indicating it is a fundamental design flaw rather than a specific implementation error.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-18312 should focus on network segmentation and access control enforcement to prevent unauthorized network access to the MS3000 server. Organizations should implement strict network access controls using firewalls and access control lists to restrict communication to the server to only authorized systems and users. The principle of least privilege should be applied to ensure that only necessary network connections are permitted to the server, reducing the attack surface. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect unusual enumeration attempts or service discovery activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in industrial control systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation in industrial environments and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which covers network service scanning. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies that isolate critical industrial control systems from general network access, following industrial security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-82 and IEC 62443 standards for industrial automation and control systems security.