CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-51544NVD status: Analyzed

ASPECT-Enterprise: External Control of System or Configuration Setting

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-51544 is a high-severity external control of system or configuration setting vulnerability in ASPECT-Enterprise from ABB, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected ASPECT-Enterprise versions: 3.08.02 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 13.2% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 3.56% of all scored CVEs.

Patch this week

EPSS places it among the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited soon.

What to do

  1. Update Aspect-ent-12 Firmware to 3.08.03 or a later version.
  2. Update Aspect-ent-2 Firmware to 3.08.03 or a later version.
  3. Update Aspect-ent-256 Firmware to 3.08.03 or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on search.abb.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  5. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
ABBASPECT-Enterprise3.08.02 and earlierNot stated
ABBNEXUS Series3.08.02 and earlierNot stated
ABBMATRIX Series3.08.02 and earlierNot stated
ABBAspect-ent-12 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBAspect-ent-2 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBAspect-ent-256 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBAspect-ent-96 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-2128 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-2128-a Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-2128-f Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-2128-g Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-264 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-264-a Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-264-f Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-264-g Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-3-2128 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBNexus-3-264 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBMatrix-11 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBMatrix-216 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBMatrix-232 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBMatrix-264 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03
ABBMatrix-296 Firmwarebefore 3.08.033.08.03

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
NoneNo account or login is needed.
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
LowLimited modification of data is possible.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.08.8HighCNA (ch.abb.com)
CVSS 3.18.2HighCNA (ch.abb.com)
CVSS 3.18.2HighNVD

Official description

Service Control vulnerabilities allow access to service restart requests and vm configuration settings. Affected products: ABB ASPECT - Enterprise v3.08.02; NEXUS Series v3.08.02; MATRIX Series v3.08.02

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

The underlying weakness: External Control of System or Configuration Setting

One or more system settings or configuration elements can be externally controlled by a user.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
  • Because setting manipulation covers a diverse set of functions, any attempt at illustrating it will inevitably be incomplete. Rather than searching for a tight-knit relationship between the functions addressed in the setting manipulation category, take a step back and consider the sorts of system values that an attacker should not be allowed to control.
  • In general, do not allow user-provided or otherwise untrusted data to control sensitive values. The leverage that an attacker gains by controlling these values is not always immediately obvious, but do not underestimate the creativity of the attacker.

More External Control of System or Configuration Setting vulnerabilities (CWE-15)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in ASPECT-Enterprise

All ASPECT-Enterprise vulnerabilities

Recent External Control of System or Configuration Setting vulnerabilities

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