CVE-2022-35869 in Ignition
Summary
by MITRE • 07/25/2022
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of Inductive Automation Ignition 8.1.15 (b2022030114). Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.web.pages. The issue results from the lack of proper authentication prior to access to functionality. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to bypass authentication on the system. Was ZDI-CAN-17211.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in Inductive Automation Ignition 8.1.15 that fundamentally undermines the security posture of affected systems. The vulnerability resides within the com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.web.pages component and allows remote attackers to access protected functionality without providing valid credentials. This type of flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and authentication requirements that are fundamental to secure application design. The vulnerability was identified as ZDI-CAN-17211 and represents a serious weakness that can be exploited from remote locations without any prior authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in industrial control environments where system integrity is paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate authentication checks within the web page handling components of the Ignition gateway. When users attempt to access certain pages or functionalities within the Ignition platform, the system fails to properly validate user credentials before granting access to protected resources. This authentication gap creates an attack surface where malicious actors can directly access administrative functions, configuration interfaces, and other sensitive areas of the application. The flaw specifically affects the com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.web.pages package, indicating that the issue is not merely a configuration error but a fundamental design flaw in how the application handles authentication requests for its web-based components. This weakness aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected Ignition installations. Industrial automation environments that rely on Ignition for critical operations face severe risks including system compromise, data manipulation, and potential disruption of industrial processes. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform administrative actions such as modifying system configurations, creating new user accounts, accessing sensitive data, and potentially causing operational disruptions. The remote exploit capability means that attackers do not need physical access to the facility or network, making the attack vector particularly concerning for industrial control systems where security is often maintained through network segmentation and access controls. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising both confidentiality and integrity of the industrial automation environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates as soon as they become available. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit access to Ignition systems to only authorized personnel and systems. Monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized access attempts and unusual administrative activities within the Ignition environment. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper authentication mechanisms in industrial control systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of critical infrastructure applications. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as multi-factor authentication and regular security audits to prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of their industrial automation infrastructure. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of authentication controls in protecting industrial control systems from remote exploitation.