CVE-2026-73165 in EKI-1242IEIMS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2026
Nozomi Networks Labs identified a CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability in the web management interface of Advantech EKI-1242IEIMS in firmware version V1.06.01 that allows a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary OS commands as root via crafted request parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2026
The discovery by Nozomi Networks Labs highlights a critical security flaw within the Advantech EKI-1242IEIMS industrial Ethernet switch, specifically affecting firmware version V1.06.01. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-78, which denotes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command, commonly known as OS command injection. The flaw resides within the device's web management interface, a component that serves as the primary point of administrative control for network configuration and monitoring. In industrial environments where such switches are deployed, maintaining the integrity of these management interfaces is paramount to preventing unauthorized access and ensuring operational continuity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows an attacker who has already obtained valid authentication credentials to inject malicious operating system commands through crafted request parameters sent to the web interface. Unlike unauthenticated attacks that exploit open ports or default passwords, this specific flaw requires a remote authenticated user. However, in many industrial settings, credential management can be lax, with shared accounts or weak password policies making it feasible for an attacker to gain initial access. Once authenticated, the application fails to properly sanitize input data before passing it to underlying system commands. This lack of proper neutralization allows special characters and command sequences embedded in user-supplied parameters to be interpreted by the operating system rather than treated as literal string data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to the privilege level associated with the execution context. The injected commands are executed with root privileges, granting the attacker full control over the underlying operating system of the switch. This level of access enables a range of malicious activities beyond simple network disruption. An attacker can modify firewall rules to bypass security controls, install persistent backdoors for long-term access, exfiltrate sensitive configuration data or traffic logs, and pivot into other segments of the industrial control network. In an OT environment, such compromise could lead to physical process manipulation if connected systems are vulnerable to further exploitation via lateral movement.
From a threat intelligence perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to Command and Scripting Interpreter abuse, specifically T1059, where adversaries use system utilities or scripts to execute commands on compromised hosts. The ability to escalate privileges to root also touches upon privilege escalation vectors described in the MITRE framework. The presence of such a flaw in industrial hardware underscores the historical tendency for OT devices to prioritize functionality and legacy compatibility over robust security engineering practices like input validation and least-privilege execution models.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. Advantech has likely released firmware updates that patch this injection point by implementing strict input sanitization or parameterized command execution methods. Administrators should immediately apply the latest available firmware version to all affected EKI-1242IEIMS units. In cases where updating is not immediately feasible due to operational constraints, network segmentation becomes critical. The management interface should be isolated on a dedicated VLAN with access restricted only to authorized administrative workstations using strong multi-factor authentication. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems tuned for command injection patterns can help identify exploitation attempts in real-time. Regular audits of user accounts and password policies are also essential to reduce the risk of credential compromise that serves as the prerequisite vector for this specific vulnerability.