CVE-2024-39601 in CPCI85 Central Processing
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2024
A vulnerability has been identified in CPCI85 Central Processing/Communication (All versions < V5.40), SICORE Base system (All versions < V1.4.0). Affected devices allow a remote authenticated user or an unauthenticated user with physical access to downgrade the firmware of the device. This could allow an attacker to downgrade the device to older versions with known vulnerabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2024
This vulnerability affects critical industrial control systems including CPCI85 Central Processing/Communication devices and SICORE Base systems where firmware downgrade capabilities exist without proper authentication mechanisms. The flaw represents a significant security risk as it allows both authenticated and unauthenticated attackers to manipulate device firmware versions, potentially exposing systems to previously patched vulnerabilities that have been addressed in newer releases. The vulnerability specifically targets the firmware update and downgrade processes, creating an attack vector that bypasses normal security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation controls during firmware downgrade operations. When a device receives a firmware downgrade request, the authentication and authorization mechanisms fail to properly verify the legitimacy of the request or the integrity of the target firmware version. This weakness enables attackers to force devices into older firmware versions that may contain known security flaws, backdoors, or other exploitable conditions that were previously remediated in newer releases. The vulnerability exists across all versions prior to V5.40 for CPCI85 devices and V1.4.0 for SICORE systems, indicating a widespread impact across multiple product lines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation or unauthorized access. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can effectively reverse security improvements that were implemented in newer firmware versions, potentially re-introducing previously patched vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows, authentication bypasses, or remote code execution flaws. This creates a persistent security risk where even systems that have been updated to secure firmware versions can be reverted to vulnerable states, undermining the entire security posture of industrial control environments. The implications are particularly severe in critical infrastructure environments where these devices operate.
Security controls should focus on implementing robust authentication and authorization mechanisms for all firmware operations, including downgrade functions. Device firmware should enforce strict integrity checks and require proper cryptographic signatures before accepting any firmware updates or downgrades. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit physical and network access to these devices. Organizations should also implement firmware integrity monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized firmware changes and maintain detailed audit logs of all firmware operations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-319 (CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information) and CWE-322 (CWE-322: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication) when considering the lack of proper authentication and secure communication channels. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1547.001 (Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as attackers may leverage legitimate administrative accounts to perform unauthorized firmware modifications. Regular firmware integrity verification procedures and automated patch management systems should be deployed to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability and maintain operational security.