CVE-2020-7501 in Vijeo Designer Basic
Summary
by MITRE
A CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials vulnerability exists in Vijeo Designer Basic (V1.1 HotFix 16 and prior) and Vijeo Designer (V6.2 SP9 and prior) which could cause unauthorized read and write when downloading and uploading project or firmware into Vijeo Designer Basic and Vijeo Designer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7501 represents a critical security flaw classified under CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications. This weakness manifests in Siemens Vijeo Designer Basic version 1.1 HotFix 16 and earlier versions, as well as in Vijeo Designer version 6.2 Service Pack 9 and prior releases. The affected systems operate within industrial control environments where secure communication and access control are paramount for operational technology infrastructure protection. The presence of hard-coded credentials in these industrial automation tools creates a significant exposure risk that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to critical industrial processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves embedded authentication credentials that are permanently coded into the software binaries rather than being dynamically generated or stored in secure configuration management systems. These hard-coded credentials typically remain unchanged across different deployments and system lifecycles, making them easily discoverable through reverse engineering or static analysis techniques. When users download and upload projects or firmware through the affected Vijeo Designer applications, the system automatically utilizes these predetermined credentials without requiring additional authentication verification, effectively bypassing normal security protocols that should govern access to industrial control systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables both read and write operations within the industrial control environment. Attackers who successfully exploit this weakness can manipulate project files, modify firmware configurations, and potentially disrupt industrial processes that rely on these automation tools. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Vijeo Designer is used for programming and managing programmable logic controllers and other industrial automation equipment, creating opportunities for attackers to introduce malicious code or alter operational parameters that could lead to production disruptions, safety hazards, or data integrity compromises.
Organizations utilizing affected Vijeo Designer versions should immediately implement mitigations including immediate firmware updates from Siemens to address the hard-coded credential issue, followed by comprehensive network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general corporate networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts and unusual data transfer activities within industrial environments. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular credential rotation practices should be enforced across all industrial automation systems. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their entire industrial control system landscape to identify similar hard-coded credential vulnerabilities in other proprietary or third-party industrial software components. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 which focuses on abuse of credentials, and demonstrates how hardcoded authentication mechanisms can provide persistent access vectors for adversaries seeking to compromise operational technology environments.