CVE-2019-7265 in Linear eMerge E3
Summary
by MITRE
Linear eMerge E3-Series devices allow Remote Code Execution (root access over SSH).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2024
The Linear eMerge E3-Series represents a line of industrial networking devices that serve as critical infrastructure components in various enterprise and industrial environments. These devices operate as network appliances that facilitate communication between different network segments and often function as gateways or routers within specialized industrial control systems. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-7265 specifically affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms within these devices, creating a severe security risk that allows remote attackers to gain root access through Secure Shell protocol connections. This flaw fundamentally compromises the device's security posture and enables unauthorized administrative control over the affected systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and authentication bypass mechanisms within the device's SSH service implementation. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code with the highest privileges available on the system, effectively granting them complete control over the device's operations. The vulnerability manifests when the device fails to properly validate user credentials or when authentication tokens are not adequately secured during the connection process. This allows malicious actors to bypass normal authentication procedures and establish privileged sessions without legitimate credentials, creating a persistent backdoor for unauthorized access.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access. The root access granted through this exploit enables attackers to modify device configurations, install malicious software, monitor network traffic, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. Industrial environments that rely on Linear eMerge E3-Series devices for critical communications may face significant operational disruptions, data breaches, or even physical security compromises if these devices control access to industrial control systems or network infrastructure. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can target these devices from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or local network presence.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying vendor-provided security patches and firmware updates as soon as they become available. Network segmentation strategies should be implemented to isolate these devices from critical network segments, while strict firewall rules should be configured to limit SSH access to only trusted IP addresses and networks. Additionally, continuous monitoring of network traffic for unusual SSH connection patterns or unauthorized access attempts should be established. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a significant concern from an attacker's perspective as it maps to ATT&CK technique T1075 which covers legitimate credentials usage for persistence and privilege escalation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any similar weaknesses in other network infrastructure components that might provide similar attack vectors.