CVE-2020-7005 in WIN-PAK
Summary
by MITRE
In Honeywell WIN-PAK 4.7.2, Web and prior versions, the affected product is vulnerable to a cross-site request forgery, which may allow an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7005 affects Honeywell WIN-PAK software version 4.7.2 and earlier web-based implementations, representing a critical security weakness that exposes industrial control systems to remote exploitation. This cross-site request forgery vulnerability exists within the web interface of the WIN-PAK platform, which is widely used in process control and automation environments for managing industrial processes. The affected systems typically operate in critical infrastructure sectors including manufacturing, oil and gas, and chemical processing where operational technology (OT) security is paramount. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of HTTP requests originating from authenticated sessions, allowing malicious actors to craft deceptive web requests that could be executed by unsuspecting administrators or authorized users.
The technical flaw manifests through the lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the web application layer of WIN-PAK, creating a pathway for attackers to exploit authenticated sessions without requiring additional authentication credentials. This weakness specifically affects the web-based management interface that allows operators to configure and control industrial processes, making it particularly dangerous in operational technology environments where system integrity and availability are critical. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform unauthorized actions such as modifying system configurations, creating new user accounts, or executing commands that could compromise the entire industrial control environment. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-352 vulnerability, specifically Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is categorized under the broader weakness of insufficient input validation and authentication mechanisms in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to potentially compromise the integrity and availability of critical industrial processes. Attackers could exploit this weakness to manipulate process controls, alter production parameters, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive operational data that could lead to safety incidents or production disruptions. The remote execution capability means that threat actors can target these systems from outside the operational network perimeter, potentially bypassing traditional network security controls. In the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1212 technique of Exploitation for Credential Access and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it allows for arbitrary code execution and potential privilege escalation within the industrial control environment. The impact is particularly severe in environments where WIN-PAK systems control critical processes such as chemical reactions, temperature regulation, or pressure management, where unauthorized modifications could lead to hazardous conditions or significant financial losses.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7005 should include immediate implementation of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms within the web application, ensuring that all state-changing operations require validation tokens that are tied to the user's current session. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general corporate networks, deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests, and establish robust access control policies that limit administrative privileges to only necessary personnel. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other industrial control system components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of applying security patches promptly and maintaining awareness of vendor security advisories, as Honeywell would have released updates to address this specific weakness in their web-based industrial control interface.