CVE-2020-7561 in Easergy T300
Summary
by MITRE • 11/20/2020
A CWE-284: Improper Access Control vulnerability exists in Easergy T300 (with firmware 2.7 and older) that could cause a wide range of problems, including information exposure, denial of service, and command execution when access to a resource from an attacker is not restricted or incorrectly restricted.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2020
The CVE-2020-7561 vulnerability represents a critical improper access control flaw classified under CWE-284 within the Easergy T300 industrial device firmware versions 2.7 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from inadequate restrictions on resource access, creating a significant security risk for industrial control systems. The affected device operates within critical infrastructure environments where unauthorized access can lead to severe operational disruptions and potential safety hazards. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly enforce access controls, allowing malicious actors to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to system resources. This weakness directly impacts the integrity and availability of industrial control systems by enabling unauthorized users to manipulate system functions and access sensitive operational data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves insufficient authorization checks within the device's firmware architecture, particularly in how it handles user sessions and resource permissions. Attackers can exploit this flaw to perform unauthorized operations including but not limited to information disclosure, service disruption, and potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure as it can enable attackers to manipulate the device's operational parameters, potentially leading to hazardous conditions in industrial environments. The improper access control mechanism fails to properly validate user credentials and permissions, creating pathways for privilege escalation and unauthorized system manipulation. This flaw particularly affects devices in the energy and utilities sector where the T300 series is commonly deployed for power management and monitoring purposes.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe and multifaceted, encompassing potential denial of service conditions that can disrupt critical infrastructure operations. Organizations relying on Easergy T300 devices may face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive operational data, system instability, and potential physical safety hazards in industrial environments. The vulnerability's exploitation can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute commands with elevated privileges and access confidential information. From an industrial control systems perspective, this weakness represents a serious threat to operational technology security, as it undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the device's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where industrial control systems require robust security measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7561 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to versions that address the improper access control implementation. Organizations must conduct comprehensive security assessments of their industrial control systems to identify all affected Easergy T300 devices and implement network segmentation to limit access to these critical assets. The remediation process should include disabling unnecessary services, implementing strong authentication mechanisms, and establishing robust monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing network access controls and firewall rules to restrict access to affected devices to authorized personnel only. Additionally, organizations should develop incident response procedures specifically addressing industrial control system vulnerabilities and ensure that all personnel understand the risks associated with improper access control in critical infrastructure environments. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware in industrial environments and demonstrates the need for comprehensive security testing of operational technology systems.