SIMATIC BATCH V9.1: Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
CVE-2024-35783 is a critical-severity execution with unnecessary privileges vulnerability in SIMATIC BATCH V9.1 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. Affected SIMATIC BATCH V9.1 versions: all versions. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.61% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update SIMATIC Information Server 2020 to V2020 SP2 Update 5 or a later version.
- Update SIMATIC Information Server 2022 to V2022 SP1 Update 2 or a later version.
- Update SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.1 to V9.1 SP2 UC06 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siemens | SIMATIC BATCH V9.1 | all versions | Not stated |
| Siemens | SIMATIC Information Server 2020 | before V2020 SP2 Update 5 | V2020 SP2 Update 5 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC Information Server 2022 | before V2022 SP1 Update 2 | V2022 SP1 Update 2 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.1 | before V9.1 SP2 UC06 | V9.1 SP2 UC06 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC Process Historian 2020 | before V2020 SP2 Update 5 | V2020 SP2 Update 5 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC Process Historian 2022 | before V2022 SP1 Update 2 | V2022 SP1 Update 2 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional V18 | before V18 Update 5 | V18 Update 5 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional V19 | before V19 Update 3 | V19 Update 3 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC WinCC V7.4 | all versions | Not stated |
| Siemens | SIMATIC WinCC V7.5 | before V7.5 SP2 Update 18 | V7.5 SP2 Update 18 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC WinCC V8.0 | before V8.0 Update 5 | V8.0 Update 5 |
| Siemens | simatic_batch | all versions | Not stated |
| Siemens | simatic_wincc | 7.4 up to, but not including, 7.5_sp2_update_18; 8.0 up to, but not including, 8.0_update_5 | 7.5_sp2_update_18, 8.0_update_5 |
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 system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 9.4 | Critical | CNA (siemens.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.1 | Critical | CNA (siemens.com) |
Official description
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC BATCH V9.1 (All versions), SIMATIC Information Server 2020 (All versions < V2020 SP2 Update 5), SIMATIC Information Server 2022 (All versions < V2022 SP1 Update 2), SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.1 (All versions < V9.1 SP2 UC06), SIMATIC Process Historian 2020 (All versions < V2020 SP2 Update 5), SIMATIC Process Historian 2022 (All versions < V2022 SP1 Update 2), SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional V18 (All versions < V18 Update 5), SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional V19 (All versions < V19 Update 3), SIMATIC WinCC V7.4 (All versions), SIMATIC WinCC V7.5 (All versions < V7.5 SP2 Update 18), SIMATIC WinCC V8.0 (All versions < V8.0 Update 5). The affected products run their DB server with elevated privileges which could allow an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary OS commands with administrative privileges.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
The product performs an operation at a privilege level that is higher than the minimum level required, which creates new weaknesses or amplifies the consequences of other weaknesses.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.
- Identify the functionality that requires additional privileges, such as access to privileged operating system resources. Wrap and centralize this functionality if possible, and isolate the privileged code as much as possible from other code. Raise privileges as late as possible, and drop them as soon as possible to avoid CWE-271. Avoid weaknesses such as CWE-288 and CWE-420 by protecting all possible communication channels that could interact with the privileged code, such as a secondary socket that is only intended to be accessed by administrators.
- Identify the functionality that requires additional privileges, such as access to privileged operating system resources. Wrap and centralize this functionality if possible, and isolate the privileged code as much as possible from other code. Raise privileges as late as possible, and drop them as soon as possible to avoid CWE-271. Avoid weaknesses such as CWE-288 and CWE-420 by protecting all possible communication channels that could interact with the privileged code, such as a secondary socket that is only intended to be accessed by administrators.
More Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerabilities (CWE-250)
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
Other vulnerabilities in SIMATIC BATCH V9.1
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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