CVE-2022-35870 in Ignition
Summary
by MITRE • 07/25/2022
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Inductive Automation Ignition 8.1.15 (b2022030114). Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within com.inductiveautomation.metro.impl. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-17265.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2022
This vulnerability in Inductive Automation Ignition 8.1.15 represents a critical deserialization flaw that undermines the security model of the industrial automation platform. The vulnerability resides within the com.inductiveautomation.metro.impl package and demonstrates a classic insecure deserialization pattern that has been documented across numerous industrial control systems and enterprise applications. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing, creating an attack surface where maliciously crafted payloads can be executed with elevated privileges. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in industrial environments where Ignition serves as a foundational platform for critical infrastructure operations, as it provides a pathway for attackers to gain system-level access without requiring extensive reconnaissance or exploitation of additional weaknesses.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of serialized data structures within the application's deserialization pipeline. When the application processes user input that contains serialized objects, it fails to validate the integrity and authenticity of these objects before attempting to deserialize them. This allows an attacker to craft malicious serialized data that, when processed by the application, executes arbitrary code in the context of the SYSTEM user account. The authentication bypass component of this vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it suggests that the existing security controls can be circumvented, potentially allowing an attacker to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to the system without proper credentials. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-502, which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices that emphasize the principle of least privilege and input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass potential system compromise and operational disruption within industrial environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain complete control over the Ignition system, potentially affecting critical manufacturing processes, data integrity, and overall operational security. The SYSTEM context execution privilege level means that the attacker can access all system resources, modify configuration files, install malicious software, and potentially cause physical damage to industrial equipment if the platform controls physical processes. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of industrial control systems, making it a significant concern for organizations following cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO/IEC 27001. The attack vector demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1210, which involves exploitation of remote services through deserialization vulnerabilities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched version of Ignition 8.1.16 or later, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the affected system, and applying additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication. The security controls should also include monitoring for unusual deserialization activities and implementing application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code. Additional defensive measures should focus on network-level controls to restrict access to the Ignition system to authorized personnel only, as well as implementing robust input validation at all application layers to prevent malicious serialized data from being processed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in industrial control systems and the need for comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code reviews to identify similar flaws in other applications. Organizations should also consider implementing security orchestration platforms that can detect and respond to exploitation attempts in real-time, as the nature of this vulnerability makes it particularly challenging to detect through traditional security monitoring approaches.