CVE-2021-38390
📋 TL;DR
A blind SQL injection vulnerability in Delta Electronics DIAEnergie allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands. This can lead to complete system compromise as the SQL Server service account (NT SERVICE\MSSQLSERVER) has high privileges. Organizations using DIAEnergie version 1.7.5 or earlier are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Delta Electronics DIAEnergie
📦 What is this software?
Diaenergie by Deltaww
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise allowing attacker to execute arbitrary code as SQL Server service, exfiltrate all database data, pivot to other systems, and potentially disrupt industrial operations.
Likely Case
Database compromise leading to data theft, manipulation of energy management data, and potential ransomware deployment.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, SQL injection protections, and least privilege configurations.
🎯 Exploit Status
SQL injection vulnerabilities are commonly exploited and tools exist for automated exploitation. The unauthenticated nature makes this particularly dangerous.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.7.6 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.deltaww.com/en-US/Service/SecurityAdvisory/Pages/2021-09-15.aspx
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download DIAEnergie version 1.7.6 or later from Delta Electronics support portal. 2. Backup current configuration and database. 3. Install the updated version following vendor instructions. 4. Restart the DIAEnergie service and verify functionality.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Access Control
windowsRestrict access to the DIAEnergie web interface using firewall rules or network segmentation.
# Windows Firewall example
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Block DIAEnergie External" dir=in action=block protocol=TCP localport=80,443 remoteip=any
Web Application Firewall
allDeploy a WAF with SQL injection protection rules in front of DIAEnergie.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate DIAEnergie from other critical systems
- Deploy intrusion detection/prevention systems with SQL injection signatures monitoring the vulnerable endpoint
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check DIAEnergie version in web interface or installation directory. If version is 1.7.5 or earlier, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check web interface login page or examine installation directory for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 1.7.6 or later and test that the /DataHandler/HandlerEnergyType.ashx endpoint properly validates input parameters.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in SQL Server logs
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by SQL errors
- Requests to /DataHandler/HandlerEnergyType.ashx with SQL injection patterns
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing SQL keywords (SELECT, UNION, etc.) to the vulnerable endpoint
- Unusual outbound connections from the DIAEnergie server
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND uri="/DataHandler/HandlerEnergyType.ashx" AND (query="*SELECT*" OR query="*UNION*" OR query="*OR 1=1*")