CVE-2022-28702 in e-Design
Summary
by MITRE • 06/02/2022
Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in ABB e-Design allows attacker to install malicious software executing with SYSTEM permissions violating confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the target machine.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2022
The CVE-2022-28702 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in ABB e-Design software that stems from improper default permission configurations within the application's installation and execution framework. This vulnerability specifically affects the Windows operating system environment where ABB e-Design is deployed, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized control over the target system. The flaw exists in the default security posture of the software installation process, where critical system directories and registry entries are configured with overly permissive access controls that should typically be restricted to administrative users only.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the software's failure to properly implement mandatory access controls during the installation phase. When ABB e-Design is installed on a Windows system, certain directories and system components are created with default permissions that allow non-privileged users to modify critical system files or registry entries. This misconfiguration creates a persistent security weakness that attackers can exploit through various attack vectors including social engineering, privilege escalation techniques, or by leveraging other initial access points. The vulnerability specifically impacts the software's handling of temporary directories, installation folders, and registry keys that are used during normal operation but are not properly secured against unauthorized modifications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses a severe threat to enterprise security infrastructure as it allows attackers to install malicious software with SYSTEM level privileges, effectively bypassing standard user permission controls and security boundaries. The attack surface extends beyond simple privilege escalation to include complete system compromise, as the malicious software can manipulate core system components, install backdoors, modify security policies, and exfiltrate sensitive data without detection. This vulnerability directly violates the fundamental security principles of confidentiality, integrity, and availability as defined by the CIA triad, since attackers can read sensitive system information, modify critical system files, and potentially disrupt system availability through malicious code execution. The impact is particularly severe in industrial environments where ABB e-Design is commonly used for process automation and control systems, as it could potentially affect operational technology infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper default permissions, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in relation to ATT&CK techniques such as T1068 for privilege escalation and T1547 for persistence mechanisms. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including restricting write permissions on installation directories, implementing proper access control lists, and conducting comprehensive security audits of installed software components. The recommended remediation strategy involves applying vendor-provided patches, manually adjusting default permissions on system directories, and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unauthorized modifications to critical system components and establish robust logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper permission management in software installation processes and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing during software development lifecycle phases.