CVE-2020-10920
📋 TL;DR
This critical vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on C-MORE HMI EA9 touch screen panels by exploiting a lack of authentication in the control service. Attackers can gain complete control of affected devices without any credentials. Organizations using these industrial control system panels are at immediate risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- C-MORE HMI EA9 Touch Screen Panels
📦 What is this software?
C More Hmi Ea9 Firmware by Automationdirect
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of industrial control systems leading to physical process disruption, safety system manipulation, or industrial espionage
Likely Case
Remote code execution allowing attackers to install malware, pivot to other systems, or disrupt HMI operations
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are properly segmented and access controlled, though vulnerability remains exploitable
🎯 Exploit Status
ZDI published detailed advisory with exploitation details; no authentication required makes exploitation trivial
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Firmware version 6.53 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.automationdirect.com/support/software-downloads
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest firmware from AutomationDirect support site 2. Backup current configuration 3. Apply firmware update via USB or network 4. Restart device 5. Verify version is 6.53 or higher
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allIsolate EA9 panels from untrusted networks using firewalls
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 9999 -j DROP
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Block EA9 Port" dir=in action=block protocol=TCP localport=9999
Access Control Lists
linuxRestrict access to port 9999 to authorized management systems only
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 9999 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 9999 -j DROP
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate EA9 panels from all untrusted networks
- Deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts on port 9999
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check firmware version on device settings page; if version is 6.52, device is vulnerableCheck Version:
Check device System Information screen or use vendor's configuration softwareVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version shows 6.53 or higher in device settings📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected connections to port 9999
- Configuration changes without authorized user activity
Network Indicators:
- TCP connections to port 9999 from unauthorized IPs
- Unusual traffic patterns to industrial control devices
SIEM Query:
source_port=9999 AND (dest_ip IN [EA9_IP_RANGE]) AND action="connect"