CVE-2020-11955 in PDU-3C002DEC
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered on Rittal PDU-3C002DEC through 5.15.70 and CMCIII-PU-9333E0FB through 3.15.70 devices. There are insecure permissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11955 affects Rittal power distribution units and climate management controllers, specifically the PDU-3C002DEC series and CMCIII-PU-9333E0FB series devices. These industrial networking appliances are designed for critical infrastructure environments where secure access controls are paramount. The issue stems from insecure permissions that allow unauthorized access to sensitive system functions and configuration parameters. This vulnerability represents a significant security risk in data center and industrial control environments where these devices are commonly deployed.
The technical flaw manifests as improper access control implementation within the device firmware, where default permissions do not adequately restrict administrative access to system resources. This insecure permission model allows attackers with minimal privileges to escalate their access or directly manipulate device configurations without proper authentication. The vulnerability exists in the underlying operating system and web interface components that control device management functions. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-284: Improper Access Control, which specifically addresses inadequate permissions and access control mechanisms in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially enable complete system compromise. Attackers could manipulate power distribution settings, alter climate control parameters, or access sensitive monitoring data that could lead to service disruption or physical damage. In data center environments, this could result in power outages affecting critical systems, while in industrial settings, improper climate control could damage sensitive equipment. The vulnerability affects multiple firmware versions, indicating a systemic issue within the device architecture rather than a temporary bug. This presents a significant risk to organizations relying on these devices for critical infrastructure operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates provided by Rittal to address the insecure permission implementation. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure to trusted networks only. Regular security audits of industrial control systems should verify proper access controls and monitor for unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure default configurations in industrial IoT devices and aligns with ATT&CK framework technique T1078: Valid Accounts, which emphasizes the exploitation of weak access controls. Organizations should implement principle of least privilege access controls and regularly review access permissions to prevent unauthorized modifications to critical infrastructure components.