CVE-2021-41295 in BAS Controller
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2021
ECOA BAS controller has a Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability, thus authenticated attacker can remotely place a forged request at a malicious web page and execute CRUD commands (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform arbitrary operations in the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2021
The CVE-2021-41295 vulnerability affects ECOA BAS controllers, which are industrial control systems designed for building automation and energy management. These controllers are commonly deployed in commercial and industrial environments to manage heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, and other building systems. The vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity and confidentiality of these critical infrastructure components. Industrial control systems like ECOA BAS controllers typically operate in isolated environments but may be accessible via web interfaces for remote management, creating potential attack vectors that adversaries can exploit.
This cross-site request forgery vulnerability stems from the controller's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms in its web-based administrative interface. When an authenticated user accesses a malicious web page, the attacker can craft specially designed requests that leverage the user's existing authentication session to execute unauthorized operations against the controller. The vulnerability allows attackers to perform all four primary CRUD operations through the web interface, enabling them to read system configurations, create new user accounts, modify existing settings, and delete critical system components. The flaw exists because the controller does not validate the origin of requests or implement token-based protection mechanisms that would prevent unauthorized requests from being executed on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted for organizations relying on ECOA BAS controllers. An attacker with access to the web interface could potentially disrupt building operations by modifying HVAC settings, altering lighting controls, or disabling critical systems entirely. The ability to execute DELETE operations could result in complete system compromise, while GET and PUT operations could allow for data exfiltration and configuration manipulation. This vulnerability particularly affects industrial environments where building automation systems control critical infrastructure, potentially leading to safety hazards, energy waste, or unauthorized access to sensitive facility operations. The remote execution capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the systems, making the attack surface significantly larger than traditional industrial control system threats.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate these controllers from general network access, enforcing strict access controls through firewalls and network access control lists, and implementing robust authentication mechanisms. The most effective long-term solution involves patching the controller software to implement proper anti-CSRF token validation and request origin verification. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their industrial control systems, implement network monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns, and establish incident response procedures specific to industrial control system compromises. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments, though the actual exploitation occurs through the web interface. Regular security updates, network monitoring, and security awareness training for personnel with access to these systems are essential defensive measures that should be implemented immediately to address this critical vulnerability.