CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-6788NVD status: Modified

CHARX SEC-3000: Use of Default Credentials

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-6788 is a critical-severity use of default credentials vulnerability in CHARX SEC-3000 from Phoenix Contact, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 1.6.3 as the first without the flaw, so updating CHARX SEC-3000 to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.5% 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 CHARX SEC-3000 to 1.6.3 or a later version.
  2. Update CHARX SEC-3050 to 1.6.3 or a later version.
  3. Update CHARX SEC-3100 to 1.6.3 or a later version.
  4. 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
PHOENIX CONTACTCHARX SEC-3000before 1.6.31.6.3
PHOENIX CONTACTCHARX SEC-3050before 1.6.31.6.3
PHOENIX CONTACTCHARX SEC-3100before 1.6.31.6.3
PHOENIX CONTACTCHARX SEC-3150before 1.6.31.6.3
Phoenixcontactcharx_sec_3150before 1.6.31.6.3
PhoenixcontactCharx Sec-3000 Firmwarebefore 1.6.31.6.3
PhoenixcontactCharx Sec-3050 Firmwarebefore 1.6.31.6.3
PhoenixcontactCharx Sec-3100 Firmwarebefore 1.6.31.6.3
PhoenixcontactCharx Sec-3150 Firmwarebefore 1.6.31.6.3

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
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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.6HighCNA (cert.vde.com)
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalNVD

Official description

A remote unauthenticated attacker can use the firmware update feature on the LAN interface of the device to reset the password for the predefined, low-privileged user “user-app” to the default password.

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

The underlying weakness: Use of Default Credentials

The product uses default credentials (such as passwords or cryptographic keys) for potentially critical functionality.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Prohibit use of default, hard-coded, or other values that do not vary for each installation of the product - especially for separate organizations.
  • Force the administrator to change the credential upon installation.
  • The product administrator could change the defaults upon installation or during operation.

More Use of Default Credentials vulnerabilities (CWE-1392)

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

Third-party and government advisories

Other vulnerabilities in CHARX SEC-3000

All CHARX SEC-3000 vulnerabilities

Recent Use of Default Credentials vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.