CVE-2020-24051 in EXVF5C-2
Summary
by MITRE
The Moog EXO Series EXVF5C-2 and EXVP7C2-3 units support the ONVIF interoperability IP-based physical security protocol, which requires authentication for some of its operations. It was found that the authentication check for those ONVIF operations can be bypassed. An attacker can abuse this issue to execute privileged operations without authentication, for instance, to create a new Administrator user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-24051 affects Moog EXO Series video management units including the EXVF5C-2 and EXVP7C2-3 models that implement the ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) protocol for interoperable physical security systems. This represents a critical security weakness in network video surveillance infrastructure where the authentication mechanisms designed to protect privileged operations have been found to be insufficient. The affected devices operate within the broader context of IP-based security ecosystems where ONVIF compliance is essential for device interoperability and standardization across different manufacturers' products. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication validation process within ONVIF operations, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to administrative functions that should normally require proper credentials.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure in the authentication verification mechanism that governs certain ONVIF operations within these video management units. This authentication bypass vulnerability allows an attacker to perform privileged actions without proper authentication credentials, effectively undermining the security model that should protect administrative functions. The flaw enables unauthorized users to create new administrator accounts, which represents a severe escalation of privileges that could lead to complete system compromise. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-287 which describes improper authentication scenarios where systems fail to properly verify user identities before granting access to privileged functions. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it leverages the ONVIF protocol's legitimate operational requirements while exploiting weaknesses in its implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential complete system takeover and persistent administrative control. Attackers can leverage this bypass to establish backdoor accounts, modify system configurations, access recorded video footage, and potentially disrupt security operations. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security posture of video surveillance deployments, as it allows attackers to gain administrative privileges without detection. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1543 (Create or Modify System Process) as attackers can create persistent administrative access and potentially modify system processes. The affected devices represent critical infrastructure components in security ecosystems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations relying on these systems for perimeter security, monitoring, and access control.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate firmware updates from Moog to address the authentication bypass vulnerability, network segmentation to isolate affected devices from critical systems, and implementation of network monitoring to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their ONVIF-compliant devices to identify similar vulnerabilities and establish robust access controls for administrative interfaces. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper authentication implementation in security protocols and underscores the need for continuous security testing of interoperability standards. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions specifically designed to detect anomalous administrative activities and establish incident response procedures for addressing authentication bypass attacks in physical security systems.