CVE-2021-42016 in RUGGEDCOM ROS M2100
Summary
by MITRE • 03/08/2022
A vulnerability has been identified in RUGGEDCOM ROS M2100 (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RMC8388 devices (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RS416v2 (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RS900G (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RS900G (32M) (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2100 (32M) V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2100P (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2100P (32M) V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2288 V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2300 V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2300P V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG2488 V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG900 V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSG920P V5.X (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RSL910 (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RST2228 (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RST916C (All versions < V5.6.0), RUGGEDCOM ROS RST916P (All versions < V5.6.0). A timing attack in a third-party component could make the retrieval of the private key possible, used for encryption of sensitive data. If a threat actor were to exploit this, the data integrity and security could be compromised.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2025
This vulnerability affects multiple ruggedized networking devices running RUGGEDCOM ROS operating systems across various hardware platforms including M2100, RMC8388, RS416v2, RS900G, RSG2100, RSG2100P, RSG2288, RSG2300, RSG2488, RSG900, RSG920P, RSL910, RST2228, and RST916 series. The vulnerability stems from a timing attack against a third-party cryptographic component that handles encryption of sensitive data. Such timing attacks exploit the variations in execution time that occur when cryptographic operations are performed under different conditions, allowing attackers to infer information about the private key through careful analysis of processing delays. The vulnerability specifically impacts all versions prior to V5.6.0 across these device families, indicating a widespread issue affecting the core cryptographic infrastructure of these industrial networking solutions.
The technical flaw represents a significant weakness in the cryptographic implementation where timing variations in key retrieval operations can be measured and analyzed to reconstruct private keys used for data encryption. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of side-channel attacks, specifically timing attacks that exploit the time taken to perform cryptographic operations. The attack vector involves an adversary observing and measuring the execution time of cryptographic functions to deduce sensitive information about the private key. According to CWE-320, this vulnerability relates to the improper handling of cryptographic keys, while the timing attack mechanism aligns with CWE-310 and ATT&CK technique T1212 which covers for exploitation of implementation flaws in cryptographic libraries. The flaw essentially allows attackers to bypass normal cryptographic protections by exploiting the predictable timing characteristics of the underlying cryptographic operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for industrial environments where these devices operate, as it compromises the fundamental security of encrypted communications and data protection mechanisms. Organizations using these ruggedized networking devices in critical infrastructure, industrial control systems, or military applications face potential exposure of sensitive data that was previously protected by encryption. The compromise of private keys could enable attackers to decrypt communications, impersonate legitimate devices, or gain unauthorized access to network resources. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where device security is paramount, such as smart grid systems, transportation networks, and defense infrastructure, where the integrity and confidentiality of communications are critical for operational continuity and national security. The timing attack could be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for networked industrial systems that may not have proper physical security controls.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates to version 5.6.0 or later, which contain fixes for the timing attack vulnerability in the third-party cryptographic components. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including network segmentation to limit access to affected devices, monitoring for unusual timing patterns in network communications, and conducting comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their industrial control systems. The remediation process must include thorough testing of updated firmware in controlled environments before deployment to ensure operational compatibility. Security teams should also consider implementing alternative cryptographic implementations that are resistant to timing attacks, such as constant-time cryptographic algorithms, and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of industrial networks should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other third-party components used within critical infrastructure environments.