In late 2022, cybersecurity professionals discovered a serious vulnerability—CVE-2022-41773—in the energy management platform DIAEnergie. Before patch v1.9.01.002, this product was found to be susceptible to a SQL injection attack in the function called CheckDIACloud. This flaw could allow a simple authenticated attacker, even with just basic credentials, to execute unauthorized SQL queries on the platform's backend database.

In this post, we’ll break down how this vulnerability works, walk through example attack code, and share how to protect yourself. This article is created exclusively with clarity in mind—no jargon, just straight talk and simple code.

What is DIAEnergie and Why is This Important?

DIAEnergie is a widely used energy management and monitoring system by Delta Electronics. Its job is to collect data, analyze energy use, and help large organizations manage electrical resources. Because it often sits at the heart of an organization’s critical infrastructure, a security hole in DIAEnergie can pose serious risks.

CWE-89: Understanding SQL Injection

A SQL injection happens when untrusted data gets dropped straight into a database query, letting an attacker mess with the system. It’s one of the most common, and dangerous, software flaws (see the OWASP Top 10).

In this case: The CheckDIACloud function of DIAEnergie did not filter inputs, so attackers could slip database commands past the login.

Step-by-Step: Example Attack

The vulnerable endpoint was usually a web form or API call in the DIAEnergie control panel, referencing the CheckDIACloud function. Attackers could inject malicious SQL through parameters provided to this function.

Let’s say the web panel has an API endpoint

POST /DIAEWeb/CheckDIACloud
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "username": "normaluser",
  "cloud_id": "123"
}

But if the server-side code doesn't sanitize the "cloud_id", an attacker might send

POST /DIAEWeb/CheckDIACloud
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "username": "normaluser",
  "cloud_id": "123 OR 1=1--"
}

If the server code does something like

# Pseudo-code example!
# DON'T DO THIS IN REAL LIFE!
sql = f"SELECT * FROM clouds WHERE id = '{cloud_id}'"
cursor.execute(sql)

With the attacker’s input, the server would execute

SELECT * FROM clouds WHERE id = '123 OR 1=1--'

The OR 1=1 part always returns true, so it grabs all cloud records—possibly exposing sensitive data.

Here’s a simplified Python example showing how bad input leads to SQL injection

import sqlite3

# Simulate user input
cloud_id = "123 OR 1=1--"

# BAD: vulnerable code
conn = sqlite3.connect(':memory:')
cur = conn.cursor()
cur.execute("CREATE TABLE clouds (id TEXT, data TEXT)")
cur.execute("INSERT INTO clouds VALUES ('123', 'secret1')")
cur.execute("INSERT INTO clouds VALUES ('456', 'secret2')")

sql = f"SELECT * FROM clouds WHERE id = '{cloud_id}'"
print("Executing SQL:", sql)
for row in cur.execute(sql):
    print(row)

# Output: returns all rows, not just id 123!

What to fix: Input validation & use of parameterized SQL (prepared statements).

Use stolen credentials for deeper attacks

All this can happen with just a normal user account and basic scripting skills.

Remediation and Official Patch

DIAEnergie fixed this in v1.9.01.002. You should upgrade immediately if you haven’t already!

- Patch link: Delta Electronics Security Update
- Vendor Advisory: Delta Security Notices

References

- CVE-2022-41773 - NIST
- CISA Advisory - ICSA-23-041-04
- Delta Electronics Security Portal
- OWASP About SQL Injection

Conclusion

CVE-2022-41773 is a classic example of how even simple oversights in code can give attackers a backdoor into critical systems. Always sanitize inputs, use parameterized queries, and update your software as soon as security patches arrive. For DIAEnergie users, patching up and following basic security hygiene is non-negotiable!

Timeline

Published on: 10/27/2022 21:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 10/28/2022 18:32:00 UTC