CVE-2020-8975 in TPS200 NG
Summary
by MITRE • 10/18/2022
ZGR TPS200 NG in its 2.00 firmware version and 1.01 hardware version, allows a remote attacker with access to the web application and knowledge of the routes (URIs) used by the application, to access sensitive information about the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-8975 affects the ZGR TPS200 NG device running firmware version 2.00 and hardware version 1.01. This security flaw represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that undermines the device's security posture. The affected system exposes sensitive operational data through its web application interface, creating a pathway for remote attackers to gain unauthorized insights into the device's internal state and configuration details.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and improper authentication mechanisms within the web application layer of the TPS200 NG device. Attackers with knowledge of specific Uniform Resource Identifiers can directly access system information without proper authorization, exploiting a lack of robust input validation and access restriction controls. This weakness aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems. The vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor through which unauthorized parties can extract confidential data about the device's operational parameters, network configurations, and potentially sensitive system metrics.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with valuable intelligence for subsequent exploitation attempts. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gather detailed information about the device's architecture, firmware versions, and potentially identify additional attack vectors. This reconnaissance capability significantly increases the risk profile of the affected system, as it enables more sophisticated attack strategies. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access or network proximity to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1592 (Gather Victim Host Information). The attack surface is particularly concerning as it requires minimal prerequisites for exploitation, essentially only web application access and knowledge of specific URI paths. Organizations using this device face increased risk of targeted attacks, as the information disclosed could be used to plan more sophisticated breaches or to identify other vulnerable systems within the network. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper security-by-design principles in IoT and industrial control systems.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate firmware updates to address the identified access control weaknesses, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to the device's web interface, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and control access to sensitive URIs. Organizations should also conduct thorough network reconnaissance to identify all instances of the affected device and implement proper access controls to prevent unauthorized URI access. The vulnerability underscores the critical need for regular security assessments of embedded systems and the importance of maintaining current firmware versions to protect against known security flaws. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security audits will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.