CVE-2023-36749 in RUGGEDCOM ROX
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2023
A vulnerability has been identified in RUGGEDCOM ROX MX5000 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX MX5000RE (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1400 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1500 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1501 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1510 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1511 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1512 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1524 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX1536 (All versions < V2.16.0), RUGGEDCOM ROX RX5000 (All versions < V2.16.0). The webserver of the affected devices support insecure TLS 1.0 protocol. An attacker could achieve a man-in-the-middle attack and compromise confidentiality and integrity of data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-36749 affects multiple RUGGEDCOM ROX series industrial networking devices including MX5000, RX1400, RX1500, RX1501, RX1510, RX1511, RX1512, RX1524, RX1536, and RX5000 models across all firmware versions prior to V2.16.0. These devices are designed for harsh industrial environments and typically serve as critical communication infrastructure in sectors such as energy, transportation, and critical infrastructure management. The vulnerability stems from the webserver component's support of the insecure TLS 1.0 protocol, which represents a significant security weakness in modern networked systems. This flaw creates an exploitable vector that directly violates industry security standards and best practices.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the webserver component maintaining support for TLS 1.0 protocol which was deprecated due to inherent cryptographic weaknesses and known vulnerabilities. The TLS 1.0 protocol suffers from several documented security issues including susceptibility to the POODLE attack, weak cryptographic algorithms, and insufficient forward secrecy mechanisms. When these industrial devices accept connections using TLS 1.0, they become vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks where an attacker can intercept and potentially modify network communications between legitimate users and the affected devices. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-319 (CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information) and represents a direct violation of the principle of secure communication in industrial control systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data confidentiality breaches as it compromises both the integrity and confidentiality of communications within industrial networks. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to device management interfaces, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized control of critical infrastructure components. The affected devices operate in environments where network security is paramount, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could enable attackers to disrupt operations, manipulate data, or gain persistent access to industrial control networks. This situation directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1046 (Network Service Scanning) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers might use this vulnerability to establish initial access points within industrial environments.
Organizations deploying these RUGGEDCOM devices should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates to version 2.16.0 or later which removes support for insecure TLS 1.0 protocol. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to these devices only from trusted networks and IP addresses. Additional monitoring should be deployed to detect unusual access patterns or attempts to connect using deprecated protocols. The vulnerability represents a failure to maintain minimum security standards as outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 requirements for secure network communications. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected devices within their industrial control systems and implement proper security awareness training for personnel managing these critical infrastructure components.