CVE-2024-35293 in Series 700
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2024
An unauthenticated remote attacker may use a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability to reboot or erase the affected devices resulting in data loss and/or a DoS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute privileged operations on affected devices. The weakness stems from insufficient access controls within the device's operational framework, specifically targeting functions that should require proper authentication before execution. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, this maps to CWE-285 which describes improper authorization scenarios where systems fail to properly verify that an actor has sufficient privileges to perform a requested operation. The vulnerability exists at the protocol level where critical functions such as device rebooting and data erasure can be invoked without proper authentication mechanisms, creating an attack surface that remote adversaries can exploit from any network location.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in the device's security architecture where administrative functions remain accessible through exposed interfaces or APIs that do not properly validate caller credentials. Attackers can leverage this weakness to remotely trigger device reboots or initiate data erasure processes without requiring valid user credentials or administrative privileges. The operational impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the ability to erase data fundamentally compromises the device's integrity and availability. This vulnerability particularly affects embedded systems and networked devices where the assumption of physical security or local access controls may be inadequate. The attack vector operates entirely over network protocols without requiring any prior access or credentials, making it particularly dangerous for devices deployed in unsecured environments or accessible from public networks.
The consequences of exploitation include complete service denial through device reboots, permanent data loss through unauthorized erasure operations, and potential compromise of device functionality for extended periods. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1190 category for exploit public-facing application, where attackers target exposed services to gain unauthorized access to critical system functions. Organizations may experience significant operational disruption as affected devices become unavailable or lose critical data, potentially requiring manual intervention for recovery and reconfiguration. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe for industrial control systems, IoT deployments, or network infrastructure devices where unauthorized rebooting or data erasure can cause cascading failures or compromise entire network segments.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. Immediate actions include implementing proper authentication mechanisms for all critical functions, disabling unnecessary remote access to administrative interfaces, and applying firmware updates where available. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate affected devices from critical network segments, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unauthorized access attempts or abnormal operational patterns. The solution architecture should incorporate principle of least privilege where only authorized users can access critical functions, with proper audit logging enabled for all administrative operations. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities, and device manufacturers should implement robust access control mechanisms that prevent unauthorized execution of privileged operations. Organizations must also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle scenarios involving unauthorized device reboots or data erasure events, ensuring rapid recovery and minimal business impact.