CVE-2022-45291 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A critical vulnerability in PWS Personal Weather Station Dashboard (PWS_Dashboard) LTS December 2020 allows remote code execution through PHP code injection, posing a significant security risk. Read on to understand the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies associated with CVE-2022-45291.

Understanding CVE-2022-45291

This section delves into the details of the vulnerability and its implications.

What is CVE-2022-45291?

The vulnerability in PWS_Dashboard LTS December 2020 enables threat actors to execute remote code by injecting PHP code into settings.php. The issue arises from a hardcoded login password, 'support,' which was not documented, leading to unauthorized access.

The Impact of CVE-2022-45291

The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit endpoints like PWS_printfile.php, PWS_frame_text.php, and others to execute malicious PHP code, potentially compromising the entire system. The lack of proper authentication mechanisms exacerbates the severity of this issue.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-45291

Explore the specifics of the vulnerability in this section.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stemmed from the ability to inject PHP code into settings.php, exploiting the hardcoded login password 'support.' This oversight facilitated remote code execution, enabling attackers to compromise the system's security.

Affected Systems and Versions

The impact of CVE-2022-45291 extends to PWS_Dashboard LTS December 2020 (2012_lts), making systems with this configuration vulnerable to remote attacks and unauthorized code execution.

Exploitation Mechanism

Threat actors can take advantage of the vulnerability by injecting PHP code into specific endpoints within PWS_Dashboard, gaining unauthorized access and executing malicious commands.

Mitigation and Prevention

Discover the steps to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2022-45291 in this section.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should promptly update their PWS_Dashboard to the latest version released in late 2022 to address the security flaw. Additionally, changing the default login password is crucial to prevent unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust access controls, regularly monitoring system logs for suspicious activities, and conducting security audits can enhance the overall security posture and prevent future vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Staying vigilant about security updates and promptly applying patches released by the vendor is essential to ensure the system remains protected from known vulnerabilities.