Clorius Controls A/S ISC SCADA Insecure Java Client Web Authentication

OVERVIEW

Independent researcher Aditya Sood has identified an insecure Java client web authentication vulnerability in the Clorius Controls A/S ISC SCADA server. Clorius Controls A/S has produced an update that mitigates this vulnerability. Aditya Sood has tested the update to validate that it resolves the vulnerability.

This vulnerability could be exploited remotely.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

The following Clorius Controls A/S web server is affected:

• Clorius Controls A/S Java web client including and prior to Version 01.00.0009b

IMPACT

The impacted Java client does not have a strong authentication mechanism. The client used an insufficient encoding to pass the credentials. This may allow those with access to the network to sniff traffic and decode credentials.

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

BACKGROUND

Clorius Controls A/S is a Denmark-based company that maintains offices in several countries around the world, including China, India, Russia, and Singapore.

The affected products, Clorius Controls A/S web servers, are web-based SCADA systems. According to Clorius Controls A/S, the web server is deployed across several sectors including Critical Manufacturing and Commercial Facilities. Clorius Controls A/S estimates that these products are used primarily in Europe with a small percentage in the United States.

VULNERABILITY CHARACTERIZATION

VULNERABILITY OVERVIEW

INSUFFICIENT ENCRYPTIONCWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength, http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/326.html, web site last accessed January 13, 2015.

The method of encrypting credentials with impacted Java web client is equivalent to plain text. The credentials could be sniffed on network traffic and easily decoded allowing a malicious actor complete access to the server.

CVE-2014-9199NVD, http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2014-9199, 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 v2 base score of 10.0 has been assigned; the CVSS vector string is (AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C).CVSS Calculator, http://nvd.nist.gov/cvss.cfm?version=2&vector=AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C, web site last accessed January 13, 2015.

VULNERABILITY DETAILS

EXPLOITABILITY

This vulnerability could be exploited remotely.

EXISTENCE OF EXPLOIT

No known public exploits specifically target this vulnerability.

DIFFICULTY

An attacker with a low skill would be able to exploit this vulnerability.

MITIGATION

Clorius Controls A/S produced an update (Version 01.00.0009g) that mitigates this vulnerability. Contact Clorius Controls A/S for more information at:

[email protected]

<http://www.cloriuscontrols.com>

ICS-CERT encourages asset owners to take additional defensive measures to protect against this and other cybersecurity risks.

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

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.