CVE-2019-5620 in MicroSCADA Pro SYS600
Summary
by MITRE
ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS600 version 9.3 suffers from an instance of CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2024
ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS600 version 9.3 contains a critical security vulnerability classified as CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function. This vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the system's access control mechanisms where essential administrative functions lack proper authentication requirements. The absence of authentication checks for critical operations creates a severe security risk that can be exploited by unauthorized actors to gain elevated privileges and manipulate the system's core functionalities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the improper implementation of security controls within the MicroSCADA Pro SYS600 platform. When critical system functions are exposed without requiring authentication, attackers can directly invoke these operations through network interfaces or local access points. This misconfiguration allows for privilege escalation attacks where malicious users can perform administrative tasks such as configuration changes, user management, system updates, and data manipulation without proper authorization. The vulnerability affects the system's integrity and availability by enabling unauthorized modifications to critical industrial control processes.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential disruption of industrial processes and compromise of operational technology infrastructure. In industrial environments where ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS600 systems control critical infrastructure, this weakness can lead to significant business disruption, safety hazards, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments following industrial control system standards such as IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82, where proper authentication mechanisms are essential for maintaining system security. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can potentially cause system downtime, data corruption, or even physical damage to industrial equipment through unauthorized configuration changes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper authentication mechanisms for all critical system functions. Organizations should ensure that all administrative interfaces require strong authentication including multi-factor authentication where possible. The system configuration should be reviewed to enforce access controls and privilege separation. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to critical system components, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar misconfigurations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials for lateral movement and privilege escalation, making it essential for organizations to implement comprehensive access control policies and monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts. System administrators should also consider applying vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this specific authentication gap in the ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS600 platform.