CVE-2022-34754 in Acti9 PowerTag Link C
Summary
by MITRE • 07/14/2022
A CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management vulnerability exists that could allow elevated functionality when guessing credentials. Affected Products: Acti9 PowerTag Link C (A9XELC10-A) (V1.7.5 and prior), Acti9 PowerTag Link C (A9XELC10-B) (V2.12.0 and prior)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2022
The CVE-2022-34754 vulnerability represents a critical improper privilege management flaw classified under CWE-269 that affects specific Acti9 PowerTag Link C device models. This vulnerability stems from insufficient credential validation mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to gain elevated privileges through brute force or guessing attacks against the device authentication system. The affected products include Acti9 PowerTag Link C models A9XELC10-A with firmware versions 1.7.5 and prior, as well as model A9XELC10-B with firmware versions 2.12.0 and prior, indicating a widespread issue within the product line that requires immediate attention from system administrators and security personnel.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the device's authentication mechanism failing to properly enforce privilege levels during credential validation processes. When users attempt to access the device's administrative functions, the system does not adequately verify the legitimacy of credentials or enforce proper access controls that would normally restrict unauthorized individuals from escalating their privileges. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to potentially guess or brute force administrative credentials and subsequently gain full control over the device's operational capabilities, including configuration changes, data access, and potential network access points.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to manipulate critical device functions and potentially compromise entire network infrastructures. Once an attacker successfully guesses or obtains administrative credentials, they can modify device settings, access sensitive operational data, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point for further attacks within the network environment. This vulnerability particularly affects industrial and IoT environments where these devices may serve as critical infrastructure components, making the potential impact on operational technology systems significant and potentially disruptive to business operations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including mandatory firmware updates to the latest available versions that address this privilege management flaw. Additionally, network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to these devices, and strong authentication measures including multi-factor authentication should be enforced where possible. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual authentication attempts and credential guessing activities. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, and represents a specific implementation of privilege escalation through weak authentication mechanisms. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues within the broader network infrastructure and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.