CVE-2021-33733 in SINEC NMS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2021
A vulnerability has been identified in SINEC NMS (All versions < V1.0 SP2 Update 1). A privileged authenticated attacker could execute arbitrary commands in the local database by sending crafted requests to the webserver of the affected application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-33733 affects SINEC NMS software versions prior to V1.0 SP2 Update 1, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity and confidentiality of industrial network management systems. This vulnerability resides within the webserver component of the application and specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern access to database operations. The flaw enables a privileged authenticated attacker to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary commands directly within the local database environment, effectively bypassing normal security controls that should prevent such unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within the webserver's request processing pipeline. When legitimate users with authenticated access submit crafted requests containing malicious payloads, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them within database contexts. This allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary database commands that can manipulate or extract sensitive information from the underlying database. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of command injection and privilege escalation, where the authenticated user's legitimate access is leveraged to perform unauthorized operations. This flaw aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories, which specifically address command injection vulnerabilities and the execution of arbitrary code through improper input handling.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-33733 extends beyond simple data compromise to encompass full system control and potential disruption of industrial operations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain complete access to the local database, enabling them to modify configuration data, extract sensitive operational information, delete critical records, or even introduce malicious data that could affect industrial control systems. The implications are particularly severe in industrial environments where SINEC NMS is deployed for network management and monitoring, as this vulnerability could compromise the integrity of critical infrastructure operations. The attack vector requires only authenticated access, meaning that an attacker who has already gained legitimate credentials could exploit this flaw without requiring additional unauthorized access methods.
Organizations utilizing SINEC NMS software must implement immediate remediation measures to address this vulnerability. The primary mitigation involves applying the vendor-provided patch or update that includes the necessary security fixes for V1.0 SP2 Update 1 or later versions. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit the scope of potential exploitation, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the affected systems. Implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's webserver components can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other industrial control systems. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1485 which addresses data extortion, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the threat this vulnerability presents to industrial cybersecurity posture.