CVE-2020-14501 in iView
Summary
by MITRE
Advantech iView, versions 5.6 and prior, has an improper authentication for critical function (CWE-306) issue. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may allow an attacker to obtain the information of the user table, including the administrator credentials in plain text. An attacker may also delete the administrator account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14501 affects Advantech iView versions 5.6 and earlier, representing a critical authentication flaw that directly violates the principle of least privilege and proper access control mechanisms. This issue manifests as an improper authentication for critical function vulnerability classified under CWE-306, which fundamentally undermines the security posture of the affected system by allowing unauthorized access to sensitive user information. The flaw exists within the application's authentication framework where critical functions lack proper verification mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to bypass standard security controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to directly access and extract user table information from the affected system, with the most severe consequence being the exposure of administrator credentials in plaintext format. This represents a significant compromise since administrative credentials are typically protected through multiple layers of security including encryption, secure storage mechanisms, and proper access controls. The plaintext exposure of these credentials provides attackers with immediate and complete administrative access to the system, eliminating the need for additional exploitation techniques or credential cracking efforts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as attackers can also delete administrator accounts, creating a destructive capability that can severely compromise system availability and integrity. This dual nature of the vulnerability allows for both reconnaissance and destructive operations within a single attack vector, making it particularly dangerous for industrial control systems and monitoring environments where Advantech iView is commonly deployed. The ability to delete administrator accounts creates a scenario where legitimate users lose access to critical system functions while attackers maintain persistence through stolen credentials.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, particularly under the privilege escalation and credential access domains where such flaws enable attackers to move laterally within networks and maintain persistent access. The vulnerability's classification as CWE-306 highlights the fundamental flaw in authentication design where critical functions are not properly protected, which is a common pattern in industrial control systems where legacy security practices may not adequately address modern threat landscapes. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to versions that address this authentication flaw, implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of all industrial control system components to identify similar authentication weaknesses.