CVE-2021-32993
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability involves hard-coded credentials in IntelliBridge EC 40 and 60 Hub devices, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to the systems. It affects organizations using these industrial control system hubs for building automation and energy management.
💻 Affected Systems
- IntelliBridge EC 40 Hub
- IntelliBridge EC 60 Hub
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of building automation systems, enabling attackers to manipulate HVAC, lighting, or energy controls, potentially causing physical damage or safety hazards.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to building management systems, data exfiltration, or disruption of automated building operations.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are isolated in segmented networks with strict access controls, though credentials remain vulnerable if network perimeter is breached.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires only knowledge of the hard-coded credentials, which may be publicly available or easily discovered.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: C.00.05 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ics/advisories/icsma-21-322-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Contact Schneider Electric for firmware update C.00.05 or later. 2. Backup device configuration. 3. Apply firmware update following vendor instructions. 4. Verify update completion and functionality.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network segmentation
allIsolate IntelliBridge devices in separate VLANs with strict firewall rules limiting access to authorized management systems only.
Access control lists
allImplement IP-based access controls to restrict which systems can communicate with IntelliBridge devices.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate devices from untrusted networks
- Monitor network traffic to/from devices for unauthorized access attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device firmware version via web interface or serial console. If version is C.00.04 or earlier, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check via web interface at http://<device-ip> or serial console connectionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version is C.00.05 or later and test that default credentials no longer provide access.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Failed authentication attempts followed by successful login
- Unusual access patterns to device management interfaces
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected connections to device management ports (typically 80/443)
- Traffic patterns indicating credential-based attacks
SIEM Query:
source_ip="IntelliBridge_IP" AND (event_type="authentication" AND result="success") AND user="default"