ICS Advisory

Meteocontrol WEB'log Vulnerabilities (Update A)

Last Revised
Alert Code
ICSA-16-133-01A

OVERVIEW

This updated advisory is a follow-up to the original advisory titled ICSA-16-133-01 Meteocontrol WEB'log Vulnerabilities that was published May 12, 2016, on the NCCIC/ICS‑CERT web site.

Independent researcher Karn Ganeshen has identified one authentication and two information exposure vulnerabilities in Meteocontrol’s WEB’log application. Meteocontrol has produced a new version to mitigate these vulnerabilities.

These vulnerabilities could be exploited remotely.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

The following WEB’log products are affected:

  • Basic 100 all versions,
  • Light all versions,
  • Pro all versions, and
  • Pro Unlimited all versions.

IMPACT

Sensitive information can be accessed, and admin login pages are accessible without being authenticated.

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Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities can allow silent execution of unauthorized actions on the device such as modifying plant data; modifying modbus/inverter/other devices; configuration parameters; and saving modified configuration and device reboot.

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Impact to individual organizations depends on many factors that are unique to each organization. ICS-CERT recommends that organizations evaluate the impact of these vulnerabilities based on their operational environment, architecture, and product implementation.

BACKGROUND

Meteocontrol is a Germany-based company that maintains offices in several countries around the world, including the US, China, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, and Israel.

The affected products, WEB’log, are web-based SCADA systems that provide functions to manage energy and power configurations in different connected (energy/industrial) devices. According to Meteocontrol, WEB’log is deployed across several sectors including Commercial Facilities, Critical Manufacturing, Energy, and Water and Wastewater Systems. Meteocontrol estimates that these products are used primarily in Europe with a small percentage in the United States.

VULNERABILITY CHARACTERIZATION

VULNERABILITY OVERVIEW

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IMPROPER ACCESS CONTROLCWE-284:Improper Access Control, http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/284.html, web site last accessed May 17, 2016.

All application functionality, and configuration pages, including those accessible after administrative login, can be accessed without any authentication.

CVE-2016-2296NVD, http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2016-2296, NIST uses this advisory to create the CVE web site report. This web site will be active sometime after publication of this advisory. has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3 base score of 9.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L).CVSS Calculator, https://www.first.org/cvss/calculator/3.0#CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L, web site last accessed May 17, 2016.

COMMAND SHELL ACCESSIBLECWE-553:Command Shell Accessible, http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/553.html, web site last accessed May 17, 2016.

The application has a hidden/obscured access command shell-like feature that allows anyone to run a restricted set of system commands. This shell can be accessed directly without any authentication.

CVE-2016-2297NVD, http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2016-2297, NIST uses this advisory to create the CVE web site report. This web site will be active sometime after publication of this advisory. has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3 base score of 9.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L).CVSS Calculator, https://www.first.org/cvss/calculator/3.0#CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L, web site last accessed May 17, 2016.

CROSS-SITE REQUEST FORGERY (CSRF)CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery, http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/352.html, web site last accessed May 17, 2016.

There is no CSRF Token generated per page or per function.

CVE-2016-4504NVD, http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2016-4504, NIST uses this advisory to create the CVE web site report. This web site will be active sometime after publication of this advisory. has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3 base score of 9.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L).CVSS Calculator, https://www.first.org/cvss/calculator/3.0#CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L, web site last accessed May 17, 2016.

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SENSITIVE INFORMATION EXPOSURECWE-200: Information Exposure, http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/200.html, web site last accessed May 12, 2016.

Information is stored in clear text.

CVE-2016-2298NVD, http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2016-2298, NIST uses this advisory to create the CVE web site report. This web site will be active sometime after publication of this advisory. has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3 base score of 9.8 has been assigned; the CVSS vector string is (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).CVSS Calculator, https://www.first.org/cvss/calculator/3.0#CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, web site last accessed May 12, 2016.

VULNERABILITY DETAILS

EXPLOITABILITY

These vulnerabilities could be exploited remotely.

EXISTENCE OF EXPLOIT

No known public exploits specifically target these vulnerabilities.

DIFFICULTY

An attacker with a low skill would be able to exploit these vulnerabilities.

MITIGATION

Meteocontrol strongly recommends users install the WEB'log behind a firewall. It is not intended to be used with a direct connection to the Internet. Meteocontrol has produced a new version that fixes the vulnerabilities. It can be downloaded at:

http://us.meteocontrol.com/downloads/.

ICS-CERT recommends that users take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of these vulnerabilities. Specifically, users should:

  • Minimize network exposure for all control system devices and/or systems, and ensure that they are not accessible from the Internet.
  • Locate control system networks and remote devices behind firewalls, and isolate them from the business network.
  • When remote access is required, use secure methods, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), recognizing that VPNs may have vulnerabilities and should be updated to the most current version available. Also recognize that VPN is only as secure as the connected devices.

ICS-CERT reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to deploying defensive measures.

ICS-CERT also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the ICS-CERT web page at: http://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/content/recommended-practices. Several recommended practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies.

Additional mitigation guidance and recommended practices are publicly available in the ICS‑CERT Technical Information Paper, ICS-TIP-12-146-01B--Targeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation Strategies, that is available for download from the ICS-CERT web site (http://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/).

Organizations observing any suspected malicious activity should follow their established internal procedures and report their findings to ICS-CERT for tracking and correlation against other incidents.

This product is provided subject to this Notification and this Privacy & Use policy.

Vendor

  • Meteocontrol