CVE-2021-22763
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass password recovery mechanisms in Schneider Electric PowerLogic devices, potentially gaining administrator-level access. It affects PowerLogic PM55xx, PM8ECC, EGX100, and EGX300 devices with weak password recovery implementations.
💻 Affected Systems
- PowerLogic PM55xx
- PowerLogic PM8ECC
- PowerLogic EGX100
- PowerLogic EGX300
📦 What is this software?
Powerlogic Pm5560 Firmware by Schneider Electric
Powerlogic Pm5561 Firmware by Schneider Electric
Powerlogic Pm5562 Firmware by Schneider Electric
Powerlogic Pm5563 Firmware by Schneider Electric
Powerlogic Pm8ecc Firmware by Schneider Electric
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full device compromise with administrator privileges, allowing attackers to manipulate power monitoring data, disrupt operations, or use devices as network footholds.
Likely Case
Unauthorized administrative access leading to data manipulation, configuration changes, or disruption of power monitoring functions.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are isolated from untrusted networks and have additional authentication layers.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation likely involves manipulating password recovery requests; no public exploit code known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Refer to Schneider Electric security notifications SEVD-2021-159-02 and SEVD-2021-159-03 for specific patched versions.
Vendor Advisory: https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_Doc_Ref=SEVD-2021-159-02
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download firmware update from Schneider Electric portal. 2. Apply update following vendor instructions. 3. Restart device to activate patch.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Isolation
allIsolate affected devices from untrusted networks and internet access.
Access Control Lists
allImplement strict network ACLs to limit device access to authorized management systems only.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices
- Enable additional authentication mechanisms and monitor for unauthorized access attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device model and firmware version against Schneider Electric security notifications.Check Version:
Device-specific command via web interface or CLI; consult product documentation.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version matches patched version specified in vendor advisory.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple failed password recovery attempts
- Unusual administrative login patterns
- Configuration changes from unexpected sources
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic to password recovery endpoints
- Administrative access from unauthorized IP addresses
SIEM Query:
source="powerlogic-device" AND (event_type="password_recovery" OR event_type="admin_login")