CVE-2022-25311 in SINEC NMS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/08/2022
A vulnerability has been identified in SINEC NMS (All versions). The affected software do not properly check privileges between users during the same web browser session, creating an unintended sphere of control. This could allow an authenticated low privileged user to achieve privilege escalation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-25311 resides within SINEC NMS software, a network management system that serves as a critical component for industrial control systems and network monitoring operations. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the application's access control mechanisms, specifically affecting how the system handles user permissions and session management. The vulnerability impacts all versions of the software, indicating it is a fundamental architectural issue rather than a recent regression. The affected system operates within industrial environments where network management and control are paramount, making such a vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper privilege validation during web browser sessions, creating what cybersecurity experts would classify as a privilege escalation flaw. This issue manifests when multiple users share the same browser session, allowing an authenticated user with low privileges to potentially manipulate the system state and gain elevated access rights. The flaw operates at the application layer, specifically within the authentication and authorization framework where session context is not properly maintained or validated between different user roles. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple security concerns into potential operational technology risks that could compromise industrial control systems. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially gain unauthorized access to network management functions, manipulate monitoring data, or even disrupt network operations through privilege escalation. The threat landscape for industrial control systems has been increasingly concerning, with adversaries targeting such foundational network management tools as they provide pathways to broader system compromise. This vulnerability could enable attackers to move laterally within industrial networks, potentially affecting critical infrastructure operations and creating cascading security failures throughout the monitored network ecosystem.
Organizations utilizing SINEC NMS software should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate critical network management functions, enforcing strict browser session management protocols, and implementing additional access controls beyond the default authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability's nature suggests that implementing proper session isolation between different user roles could provide immediate relief, though this requires careful consideration of existing operational workflows and user access patterns. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of all network management systems to identify similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities within their industrial control environments. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of applying security principles from the ATT&CK framework, particularly focusing on privilege escalation techniques and the need for robust access control implementations in operational technology environments.