CVE-2019-6579 in Spectrum Power
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in Spectrum Power? 4 (with Web Office Portal). An attacker with network access to the web server on port 80/TCP or 443/TCP could execute system commands with administrative privileges. The security vulnerability could be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the affected service. No user interaction is required to exploit this security vulnerability. Successful exploitation of the security vulnerability compromises confidentiality, integrity or availability of the targeted 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 • 08/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6579 affects Spectrum Power 4 systems that utilize the Web Office Portal component, representing a critical remote code execution flaw that fundamentally compromises system security. This vulnerability exists within the web server implementation and specifically targets ports 80/TCP and 443/TCP, which are standard HTTP and HTTPS communication channels. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary system commands with administrative privileges, creating a severe escalation path that bypasses normal authentication mechanisms and access controls. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution issue places it squarely within the domain of high-impact security flaws that can lead to complete system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and command execution handling within the web application's processing logic, creating a path where user-supplied data can be directly interpreted and executed as system commands. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-78, which specifically addresses "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. The flaw demonstrates a classic command injection vulnerability where the application fails to properly sanitize or escape input parameters before using them in system command execution contexts. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable web application, result in arbitrary command execution on the underlying operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft or service disruption, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected systems. Once exploited, adversaries can manipulate system configurations, install persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's ability to be exploited without user interaction or authentication requirements makes it particularly dangerous, as it can be weaponized through automated scanning tools to identify and compromise vulnerable systems at scale. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of remote services, where attackers can leverage publicly exposed web applications to gain unauthorized access to target environments. The compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability represents a complete breakdown of the system's security posture, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access and conduct long-term surveillance or data manipulation activities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability must implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to the vulnerable web services, deployment of web application firewalls to filter malicious requests, and comprehensive patch management to address the underlying command injection flaw. The remediation process should involve thorough network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and system hardening measures to reduce the attack surface. Security teams should also conduct vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected systems and implement proper input validation controls to prevent similar issues in the future. The vulnerability's characteristics make it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns, necessitating proactive threat hunting and continuous security monitoring to detect and respond to compromise attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication and least privilege access controls to reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed audit logs to support forensic investigations should compromise occur.