CVE-2022-23448 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic and SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO, allowing a local unprivileged attacker to achieve code execution with high privileges.

Understanding CVE-2022-23448

This CVE pertains to incorrect permission assignment for critical resources in Siemens' SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic and SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO.

What is CVE-2022-23448?

The vulnerability in SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic and SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO allows local unprivileged attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges due to incorrect permission assignments.

The Impact of CVE-2022-23448

The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can enable attackers to gain ADMINISTRATOR or even NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM privileges, leading to unauthorized access and potential system compromise.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-23448

This section provides more insight into the vulnerability, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The affected applications improperly assign permissions to critical directories and files, which can be exploited by local unprivileged attackers.

Affected Systems and Versions

SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic and SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO are affected, specifically all versions prior to V7.3 Update 1.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with local access could exploit the vulnerability by manipulating critical directories and files to execute malicious code with elevated privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the necessary steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should update affected systems to version V7.3 Update 1 or apply patches provided by Siemens to address the incorrect permission assignment.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing the principle of least privilege and regularly auditing permissions assigned to critical resources can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security updates from Siemens and apply them promptly to ensure the security of SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic and SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO.