CVE-2022-32748 in Cybersecurity Admin Expert
Summary
by MITRE • 01/31/2023
A CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation vulnerability exists that could cause the CAE software to give wrong data to end users when using CAE to configure devices. Additionally, credentials could leak which would enable an attacker the ability to log into the configuration tool and compromise other devices in the network. Affected Products: EcoStruxure™ Cybersecurity Admin Expert (CAE) (Versions prior to 2.2)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2026
The CVE-2022-32748 vulnerability represents a critical improper certificate validation flaw classified under CWE-295 within the EcoStruxure™ Cybersecurity Admin Expert (CAE) software. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2.2 and fundamentally compromises the security posture of networked device configurations by allowing the software to accept invalid or malicious certificates during communication processes. The flaw enables attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against the CAE configuration interface, potentially leading to complete network compromise through credential leakage and unauthorized device access. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate validation mechanisms that should verify the authenticity and integrity of certificates used in secure communications between the CAE software and network devices.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient certificate validation routines within the CAE software's cryptographic handshake process. When the software attempts to establish secure connections with network devices, it fails to properly validate certificate chains, trust anchors, or certificate expiration dates. This weakness allows attackers to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the CAE software, enabling them to intercept and manipulate configuration data flows. The improper validation occurs at multiple levels including certificate authority verification, hostname matching, and certificate signature validation, creating multiple attack vectors for threat actors to exploit. The vulnerability essentially undermines the entire public key infrastructure trust model that the software relies upon for secure device management.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-32748 extends far beyond simple data integrity issues, creating a comprehensive security breach scenario that can lead to complete network compromise. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can not only access sensitive configuration data but also extract authentication credentials that provide unauthorized access to the CAE configuration tool itself. Once authenticated, attackers can manipulate device configurations, potentially disabling security features, creating backdoors, or redirecting network traffic to malicious endpoints. The credential leakage aspect of this vulnerability directly enables lateral movement within the network, as attackers can use stolen credentials to access other network devices and systems. This vulnerability maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential harvesting and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, creating a complete attack chain from initial compromise to persistent access.
Organizations utilizing affected CAE versions should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves upgrading to CAE version 2.2 or later, which includes proper certificate validation mechanisms that address the CWE-295 implementation flaws. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized certificate usage patterns and credential access attempts. The mitigation strategy should include certificate pinning configurations where possible, enhanced network segmentation to limit lateral movement, and regular security audits of device configurations. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify certificate validation failures and unauthorized access attempts to the CAE management interface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation in industrial control systems and highlights the need for robust cryptographic security practices in network management software. This issue aligns with NIST SP 800-57 recommendations for cryptographic key management and emphasizes the requirement for proper certificate validation procedures in secure communication protocols.