CVE-2022-24287 in SIMATIC PCS 7
Summary
by MITRE • 05/20/2022
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 and earlier (All versions), SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.1 (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional V16 and earlier (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional V17 (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC V7.4 and earlier (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC V7.5 (All versions < V7.5 SP2 Update 8). An authenticated attacker could escape the WinCC Kiosk Mode by opening the printer dialog in the affected application in case no printer is installed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2022
This vulnerability exists within Siemens industrial automation software products including SIMATIC PCS 7 and SIMATIC WinCC runtime environments. The flaw specifically affects versions up to V9.0 for PCS 7, V9.1 for PCS 7, V16 and earlier for WinCC Runtime Professional, V17 for WinCC Runtime Professional, V7.4 and earlier for WinCC, and V7.5 prior to SP2 Update 8 for WinCC. The vulnerability represents a privilege escalation issue that occurs when an authenticated attacker interacts with the printer dialog functionality within the affected applications. When no physical printer is installed in the system, the application's Kiosk Mode security mechanism can be bypassed through this specific interaction.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the printer dialog component of these industrial control applications. The Kiosk Mode is designed to restrict user access to prevent unauthorized system modifications or access to administrative functions, but the printer dialog functionality creates an unintended pathway for privilege escalation. When the application attempts to display the printer dialog without a printer installed, the underlying code fails to properly enforce the security boundaries that should maintain the Kiosk Mode restrictions. This creates a security boundary violation that allows an attacker to access functionality normally restricted in kiosk environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant within industrial control systems where these applications are deployed. An authenticated attacker who has legitimate access to the system can exploit this weakness to bypass security controls that are meant to prevent unauthorized access to system configuration, administrative functions, or other restricted areas. This could potentially enable attackers to modify system settings, access sensitive configuration data, or escalate privileges to gain unauthorized access to critical industrial processes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in operational technology environments where maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized access is paramount for industrial safety and security.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying available vendor patches and updates for the affected Siemens products, ensuring proper printer configuration to avoid triggering the vulnerability, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to these systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves exploit for privilege escalation. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their industrial control systems to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and components. Regular security monitoring and access control reviews should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain overall system security posture in industrial environments.