CVE-2019-6572 in SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panel
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panels 4" - 22" (All versions < V15.1 Update 1), SIMATIC HMI Comfort Outdoor Panels 7" & 15" (All versions < V15.1 Update 1), SIMATIC HMI KTP Mobile Panels KTP400F, KTP700, KTP700F, KTP900 und KTP900F (All versions < V15.1 Update 1), SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Advanced (All versions < V15.1 Update 1), SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional (All versions < V15.1 Update 1), SIMATIC WinCC (TIA Portal) (All versions < V15.1 Update 1), SIMATIC HMI Classic Devices (TP/MP/OP/MP Mobile Panel) (All versions). The affected device offered SNMP read and write capacities with a publicly know hardcoded community string. The security vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker with network access to the affected device. Successful exploitation requires no system privileges and no user interaction. An attacker could use the vulnerability to compromise confidentiality and integrity of the affected system. At the time of advisory publication no public exploitation of this security vulnerability was known.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Siemens industrial human-machine interface (HMI) and runtime systems that exposes hardcoded Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) community strings. The affected devices include various SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panels, Outdoor Panels, Mobile Panels, and WinCC runtime environments across multiple product lines. The vulnerability stems from the implementation of SNMP with default or hardcoded community strings that remain unchanged across all affected versions, creating a persistent security risk that has existed since the initial product releases. This design flaw directly violates security best practices by providing unauthorized access mechanisms without proper authentication controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows attackers with network access to exploit the hardcoded SNMP community strings without requiring any system privileges or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in industrial control environments. The SNMP protocol's read and write capabilities enable attackers to access sensitive system information, modify configuration parameters, and potentially disrupt industrial processes. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and represents a classic example of insecure default configurations that persist across multiple product variants. The flaw exists in the network management interface layer of these industrial devices, providing attackers with a direct pathway to compromise system integrity and confidentiality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to manipulate industrial control systems through unauthorized SNMP write operations. In industrial environments, this could lead to process disruption, data manipulation, or even physical safety hazards depending on the criticality of the controlled processes. The lack of user interaction requirements means that exploitation can occur automatically without any human involvement, making detection more difficult and potentially allowing for sustained attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where industrial networks lack proper segmentation or network monitoring controls, as the hardcoded strings provide an open door for attackers to move laterally within industrial control networks. The absence of known public exploitation at the time of advisory publication does not diminish the severity, as the potential for automated exploitation exists.
Organizations should immediately implement network segmentation to isolate affected devices from general network access, disable SNMP if not required for legitimate operations, and apply the vendor-provided patches to update to versions V15.1 Update 1 or later. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized SNMP access attempts, and access controls should be implemented to restrict SNMP communication to authorized management stations only. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper credential management and the dangers of hard-coded authentication mechanisms in industrial control systems, aligning with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify other hardcoded credentials or default configurations that may exist in industrial control system environments.