SIMATIC Drive Controller family: Insufficiently Protected Credentials
CVE-2022-38465 is a high-severity insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability in SIMATIC Drive Controller family from Siemens, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected SIMATIC Drive Controller family versions: All versions < V2.9.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Simatic Et 200 Sp Open Controller Cpu 1515sp Pc2 Firmware to 21.9 or a later version.
- Update Simatic Drive Controller Cpu 1504d Tf Firmware to 2.9.2 or a later version.
- Update Simatic Drive Controller Cpu 1507d Tf Firmware to 2.9.2 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on cert-portal.siemens.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE; 28 further products are omitted here. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.3 | Critical | CNA (siemens.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC Drive Controller family (All versions < V2.9.2), SIMATIC ET 200SP Open Controller CPU 1515SP PC (incl. SIPLUS variants) (All versions), SIMATIC ET 200SP Open Controller CPU 1515SP PC2 (incl. SIPLUS variants) (All versions < V21.9), SIMATIC S7-1200 CPU family (incl. SIPLUS variants) (All versions < V4.5.0), SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU family (incl. related ET200 CPUs and SIPLUS variants) (All versions < V2.9.2), SIMATIC S7-1500 Software Controller (All versions < V21.9), SIMATIC S7-PLCSIM Advanced (All versions < V4.0), SINUMERIK MC (All versions < V6.21), SINUMERIK ONE (All versions < V6.21). Affected products protect the built-in global private key in a way that cannot be considered sufficient any longer. The key is used for the legacy protection of confidential configuration data and the legacy PG/PC and HMI communication. This could allow attackers to discover the private key of a CPU product family by an offline attack against a single CPU of the family. Attackers could then use this knowledge to extract confidential configuration data from projects that are protected by that key or to perform attacks against legacy PG/PC and HMI communication.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Insufficiently Protected Credentials
The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an appropriate security mechanism to protect the credentials.
- Make appropriate use of cryptography to protect the credentials.
- Use industry standards to protect the credentials (e.g. LDAP, keystore, etc.).
More Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerabilities (CWE-522)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Recent Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerabilities
- 7.4 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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