CVE-2023-48428 in SINEC INS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2023
A vulnerability has been identified in SINEC INS (All versions < V1.0 SP2 Update 2). The radius configuration mechanism of affected products does not correctly check uploaded certificates. A malicious admin could upload a crafted certificate resulting in a denial-of-service condition or potentially issue commands on system level.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-48428 affects SINEC INS products running versions prior to V1.0 SP2 Update 2, representing a critical security flaw in the certificate validation mechanism. This issue stems from inadequate input validation within the radius configuration process, where the system fails to properly verify the integrity and authenticity of uploaded certificates. The flaw exists in the authentication and authorization framework of the network infrastructure management system, specifically targeting the remote authentication protocol implementation that governs user access control and system-level command execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of certificate upload mechanisms within the radius configuration interface. A malicious administrator with valid credentials could craft or modify certificate files to bypass validation checks, potentially leading to unauthorized system access. This weakness allows for privilege escalation attacks where the attacker can execute commands at the system level, effectively compromising the entire network infrastructure management platform. The vulnerability manifests as a failure in certificate chain validation and digital signature verification, creating a pathway for arbitrary code execution and system compromise.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to industrial control systems and network infrastructure environments where SINEC INS products are deployed. The potential for denial-of-service conditions can disrupt critical network operations and compromise network availability, while the command execution capability enables full system compromise. Organizations relying on these systems for industrial automation and control face significant operational risks including production downtime, data integrity compromise, and potential safety hazards in critical infrastructure environments. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security posture of the network management platform, undermining trust in the authentication mechanisms.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2023-48428 requires immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch or update to V1.0 SP2 Update 2, which addresses the certificate validation flaw through enhanced input sanitization and verification processes. Network administrators should implement strict access controls and privilege separation to limit certificate upload capabilities to only trusted personnel. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unauthorized certificate uploads, implementing network segmentation to isolate critical systems, and conducting thorough security assessments of the radius configuration components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-79 Cross-Site Scripting categories, representing a command injection and privilege escalation risk. The threat landscape for such vulnerabilities is well-documented in MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1482 Domain Trust Discovery, highlighting the potential for lateral movement and privilege escalation within network environments. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious certificate upload activities and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation attempts.