CVE-2022-22148 in CENTUM CS 3000
Summary
by MITRE • 03/11/2022
'Root Service' service implemented in the following Yokogawa Electric products creates some named pipe with improper ACL configuration. CENTUM CS 3000 versions from R3.08.10 to R3.09.00, CENTUM VP versions from R4.01.00 to R4.03.00, from R5.01.00 to R5.04.20, and from R6.01.00 to R6.08.00, Exaopc versions from R3.72.00 to R3.79.00.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-22148 affects Yokogawa Electric's Root Service implementation across multiple industrial control system products including CENTUM CS 3000 and CENTUM VP series along with Exaopc software versions. This flaw resides in the improper access control list configuration for named pipes created by the Root Service component, representing a critical security weakness that could enable unauthorized system access and potential operational disruption in industrial environments. The affected products span multiple version ranges including CENTUM CS 3000 from R3.08.10 to R3.09.00, CENTUM VP from R4.01.00 to R4.03.00, R5.01.00 to R5.04.20, and R6.01.00 to R6.08.00, as well as Exaopc versions R3.72.00 to R3.79.00, indicating a widespread impact across Yokogawa's industrial automation portfolio.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the Root Service creating named pipes without proper access control list configuration, which violates fundamental security principles for inter-process communication mechanisms. Named pipes in Windows operating systems require appropriate discretionary access control lists to restrict access to authorized processes and users only. When these ACLs are improperly configured, they often grant excessive permissions to all users or groups, potentially allowing any local user to interact with these communication channels. This misconfiguration creates an attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to system resources, potentially leading to privilege escalation or information disclosure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which specifically addresses improper file permissions and inadequate access control mechanisms, and represents a classic example of inadequate privilege separation in system services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple access control issues and could severely compromise industrial control systems that rely on Yokogawa's products for critical operations. In industrial environments where these systems operate, unauthorized access to Root Service functionality could enable attackers to manipulate process control data, disrupt system operations, or potentially cause physical damage to industrial processes. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where these systems are connected to operational technology networks, as local users with minimal privileges could potentially escalate their access to system-level functionality. This vulnerability could be exploited as part of a broader attack chain, potentially enabling lateral movement within industrial networks and providing access to critical process control information that could impact production safety and operational integrity. The impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers could leverage this weakness to establish persistent access or execute unauthorized commands.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying available patches from Yokogawa, reviewing and hardening named pipe access control lists on affected systems, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to these industrial control systems. System administrators should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any additional improperly configured services or communication channels within their industrial control environments. The remediation process should include verifying proper ACL configurations on all named pipes created by Root Service components and ensuring that only authorized users and processes have appropriate access permissions. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to these communication channels and establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to industrial control system security incidents. Given the critical nature of these industrial systems, organizations should also evaluate their overall security posture and consider implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other system components.