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CVE-2024-33499NVD status: Deferred

SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource

CVE-2024-33499 is a critical-severity incorrect permission assignment for critical resource vulnerability in SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager from Siemens, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists versions V3.0.1.1, 3.0.1.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.46% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager to V3.0.1.1 or 3.0.1.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
SiemensSIMATIC RTLS Locating Managerbefore V3.0.1.1; before 3.0.1.1V3.0.1.1, 3.0.1.1

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
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:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (siemens.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.09.4CriticalCNA (siemens.com)
CVSS 3.19.1CriticalCNA (siemens.com)

Official description

A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-0DA00) (All versions < V3.0.1.1), SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-0DA10) (All versions < V3.0.1.1), SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-0DA20) (All versions < V3.0.1.1), SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-0DA30) (All versions < V3.0.1.1), SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-1EA10) (All versions < V3.0.1.1), SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-1EA20) (All versions < V3.0.1.1), SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager (6GT2780-1EA30) (All versions < V3.0.1.1). The affected application assigns incorrect permissions to a user management component. This could allow a privileged attacker to escalate their privileges from the Administrators group to the Systemadministrator group.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource

The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • When using a critical resource such as a configuration file, check to see if the resource has insecure permissions (such as being modifiable by any regular user), and generate an error or even exit the software if there is a possibility that the resource could have been modified by an unauthorized party.
  • Divide the software into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully defining distinct user groups, privileges, and/or roles. Map these against data, functionality, and the related resources. Then set the permissions accordingly. This will allow you to maintain more fine-grained control over your resources.
  • During program startup, explicitly set the default permissions or umask to the most restrictive setting possible. Also set the appropriate permissions during program installation. This will prevent you from inheriting insecure permissions from any user who installs or runs the program.

More Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource vulnerabilities (CWE-732)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager

All SIMATIC RTLS Locating Manager vulnerabilities

Recent Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource vulnerabilities

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