CVE-2024-47563 in SINEC Security Monitor
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2024
A vulnerability has been identified in SINEC Security Monitor (All versions < V4.9.0). The affected application does not properly validate a file path that is supplied to an endpoint intended to create CSR files. This could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to create files in writable directories outside the intended location and thus compromise integrity of files in those writable directories.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2026
The vulnerability identified in SINEC Security Monitor affects all versions prior to V4.9.0 and represents a critical path traversal flaw that undermines the application's file system security controls. This weakness exists within the CSR file creation endpoint where the application fails to adequately validate user-supplied file paths, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate the file system operations. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and specifically aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw enables attackers to bypass intended security boundaries and potentially overwrite or create malicious files in directories that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves an unauthenticated remote attacker exploiting the insufficient path validation mechanism to manipulate the file creation process. When the application processes requests to generate CSR files, it accepts user-provided paths without proper sanitization or validation against a whitelist of acceptable locations. This allows attackers to inject malicious path components that can traverse the file system hierarchy, potentially reaching writable directories outside the intended application scope. The vulnerability specifically targets writable directories that are accessible to the application process, enabling attackers to compromise file integrity and potentially execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. The impact extends beyond simple file creation to include potential data corruption, privilege escalation, and system compromise depending on the permissions of the affected directories.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risk to industrial control systems and security monitoring environments where SINEC Security Monitor is deployed. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit the flaw without requiring valid credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network exposure is high. The ability to create or modify files in writable directories can lead to persistent backdoors, data exfiltration capabilities, or disruption of critical security functions. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious configuration files, modify security policies, or create persistent access points within the monitored environment. The implications are particularly severe in industrial settings where security monitoring systems are critical for operational technology network protection, as this vulnerability could undermine the integrity of the entire security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate upgrade to SINEC Security Monitor version 4.9.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the path validation issue. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected application and restrict remote exposure where possible. Input validation controls should be enhanced to include comprehensive path sanitization and whitelisting of acceptable directories for file operations. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file creation patterns or attempts to access restricted directories. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their industrial control systems to identify other potential path traversal vulnerabilities in similar applications. The remediation process should include reviewing file system permissions to ensure that application processes operate with minimal required privileges and that writable directories are properly secured against unauthorized access. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in security-critical applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for path traversal attacks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive application security controls in operational technology environments.