CVE-2021-23278 – This vulnerability allows authenticated attacke... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2021-23278?

CVE-2021-23278 has a CVSS score of 8.7 (HIGH). This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to delete arbitrary files on systems running vulnerable versions of Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (IPM). Attackers can exploit improper input validation in specific server components to send crafted packets that delete files. Organizations using IPM versions prior to 1.69 are affected.

📋 TL;DR

This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to delete arbitrary files on systems running vulnerable versions of Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (IPM). Attackers can exploit improper input validation in specific server components to send crafted packets that delete files. Organizations using IPM versions prior to 1.69 are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (IPM)

Versions: All versions prior to 1.69

Operating Systems: Windows, Linux

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Vulnerability exists in default configurations; requires authenticated access to exploit.

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Complete system compromise through deletion of critical system files, leading to service disruption, data loss, or system instability.

🟠

Likely Case

Targeted deletion of configuration files, logs, or firmware images causing service disruption and operational impact.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact if proper authentication controls and file system permissions restrict attacker capabilities.

🌐 Internet-Facing: MEDIUM - Requires authentication but could be exploited if IPM is exposed to internet with compromised credentials.

🏢 Internal Only: HIGH - Authenticated internal users or compromised accounts could exploit this vulnerability to disrupt critical power management systems.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: LOW

Exploitation requires authenticated access but uses simple crafted packets targeting specific endpoints.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: 1.69

Vendor Advisory: https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/company/news-insights/cybersecurity/security-bulletins/eaton-intelligent-power-manager-ipm-vulnerability-advisory.pdf

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Download IPM version 1.69 from Eaton's official portal. 2. Backup current configuration. 3. Run the installer to upgrade. 4. Restart the IPM service. 5. Verify the upgrade completed successfully.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Restrict Network Access

all

Limit access to IPM management interface to trusted networks only.

Implement Strong Authentication

all

Enforce strong password policies and consider multi-factor authentication for IPM access.

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict access controls to limit which users can authenticate to IPM
Monitor file deletion events and implement file integrity monitoring on critical IPM directories

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check IPM version in the web interface under Help > About or examine the installed version in the program files directory.

Check Version:

On Windows: Check 'Program Files\Eaton\Intelligent Power Manager' directory version. On Linux: Check installation directory or use 'rpm -qa | grep ipm' or 'dpkg -l | grep ipm'.

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify the version number shows 1.69 or higher in the IPM interface and test that the removeBackground and removeFirmware actions properly validate input.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual file deletion events in IPM logs
Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful login and file operations

Network Indicators:

HTTP POST requests to /server/maps_srv.js with action=removeBackground
HTTP POST requests to /server/node_upgrade_srv.js with action=removeFirmware

SIEM Query:

source="ipm_logs" AND (action="removeBackground" OR action="removeFirmware") AND status="success"

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2021-23278

CVSS v3 Score: 8.7 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-20

Published: April 13, 2021

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

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