CVE-2021-23276
📋 TL;DR
Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) versions prior to 1.69 contain an authenticated SQL injection vulnerability. This allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially adding unauthorized users to the database. Organizations running affected IPM versions are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (IPM)
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain administrative access, manipulate power management systems, disrupt operations, or pivot to other network systems.
Likely Case
Unauthorized user creation leading to privilege escalation and persistent access to the IPM system.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if strong authentication, network segmentation, and input validation are in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
SQL injection vulnerabilities are typically straightforward to exploit once the injection point is identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.69 or later
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download IPM version 1.69 or later from Eaton's official portal. 2. Backup current configuration and database. 3. Run the installer to upgrade. 4. Restart the IPM service or system.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allRestrict network access to IPM systems to only authorized management networks.
Input Validation Enhancement
allImplement web application firewall rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit who can reach the IPM interface.
- Enforce strong authentication policies and monitor for unusual user creation activities.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check IPM version in the web interface under Help > About or system settings.Check Version:
Not applicable - check via web interface or system documentation.Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm version is 1.69 or higher after applying the update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL query patterns in application logs
- Unexpected user creation events in audit logs
Network Indicators:
- SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests to IPM endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="ipm_logs" AND (event="user_created" OR query="INSERT INTO users")🔗 References
- https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/company/news-insights/cybersecurity/security-bulletins/eaton-intelligent-power-manager-ipm-vulnerability-advisory.pdf
- https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/company/news-insights/cybersecurity/security-bulletins/eaton-intelligent-power-manager-ipm-vulnerability-advisory.pdf
