CVE-2019-10998 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability was discovered on Phoenix Contact AXC F 2152 and AXC F 2152 STARTERKIT devices, potentially allowing unauthorized data manipulation on SD cards.

Understanding CVE-2019-10998

What is CVE-2019-10998?

The CVE-2019-10998 vulnerability affects Phoenix Contact AXC F 2152 devices before the 2019.0 LTS version, enabling unauthorized data manipulation on SD cards.

The Impact of CVE-2019-10998

Unauthorized physical access to the PLC could lead to data manipulation on SD cards, creating a potential authentication bypass opportunity.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-10998

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows individuals with physical access to the PLC to manipulate data on SD cards, potentially bypassing authentication.

Affected Systems and Versions

Phoenix Contact AXC F 2152 devices before the 2019.0 LTS version
AXC F 2152 STARTERKIT devices before the 2019.0 LTS version

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized physical access to the PLC is required to exploit this vulnerability, allowing for the manipulation of data on SD cards.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Limit physical access to the PLC to authorized personnel only
Regularly monitor and inspect SD cards for any unauthorized changes

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict access control measures to prevent unauthorized physical access
Encrypt sensitive data stored on SD cards to mitigate manipulation risks

Patching and Updates

Update affected devices to the 2019.0 LTS version or later to address this vulnerability