CVE-2020-25153
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to compromise MOXA NPort IAW5000A-I/O devices through weak password enforcement in the built-in web service. Affected systems running firmware version 2.1 or lower are vulnerable to unauthorized access and potential device takeover. Industrial control system operators using these devices are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- MOXA NPort IAW5000A-I/O
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise leading to industrial process disruption, data exfiltration, or lateral movement into critical infrastructure networks.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to device configuration, potential denial of service, or credential harvesting from weak passwords.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with strong network segmentation and monitoring, though weak authentication remains a risk.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authentication attempts but weak password policies make brute-force attacks practical.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Firmware version 2.2 or higher
Vendor Advisory: https://www.moxa.com/en/support/product-support/security-advisory/mpsa-200401-nport-iaw5000a-io-series-web-server-vulnerability
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download firmware version 2.2 or higher from MOXA website. 2. Backup current configuration. 3. Upload new firmware via web interface. 4. Reboot device. 5. Restore configuration if needed.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Enforce Strong Password Policy
allManually enforce complex passwords for all user accounts on the device.
Network Segmentation
allIsolate device on separate VLAN with strict firewall rules limiting access to authorized IPs only.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network access controls to restrict web interface access to trusted management networks only.
- Enable logging and monitoring for authentication attempts and implement account lockout policies.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check firmware version via web interface: System > About. If version is 2.1 or lower, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
No CLI command - check via web interface at System > About page.Verify Fix Applied:
After patching, verify firmware version shows 2.2 or higher and test that weak passwords are rejected during user creation.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple failed login attempts
- Successful logins from unusual IP addresses
- Configuration changes from unauthorized users
Network Indicators:
- HTTP/HTTPS traffic to device web interface from unauthorized networks
- Brute-force patterns in authentication requests
SIEM Query:
source="nport_web_logs" (event_type="authentication_failure" count>10 within 5min) OR (event_type="authentication_success" src_ip NOT IN allowed_management_ips)