CVE-2021-35528 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability labeled as CVE-2021-35528 was made public on November 4, 2021, affecting Hitachi Energy's Retail Operations and Counterparty Settlement and Billing (CSB). The issue involves an Improper Access Control vulnerability that allows an attacker to execute a modified signed Java Applet JAR file, potentially leading to data extraction or modification within the applications.

Understanding CVE-2021-35528

This section will cover the essential details about CVE-2021-35528.

What is CVE-2021-35528?

The CVE-2021-35528 vulnerability involves an Improper Access Control in Hitachi Energy's Retail Operations and CSB applications, enabling unauthorized access and potential data manipulation.

The Impact of CVE-2021-35528

The impact of CVE-2021-35528 is rated as HIGH based on the CVSS v3.1 scoring. It affects confidentiality, integrity, and requires high privileges for exploitation with a base score of 7.2.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-35528

In this section, we will delve into the technical aspects of CVE-2021-35528.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to execute a modified signed Java Applet JAR file, potentially leading to unauthorized data access and modification within the Retail Operations and CSB applications.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected products include Hitachi Energy Retail Operations and Counterparty Settlement and Billing (CSB) versions prior to 5.7.3.1.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by executing a specially crafted Java Applet JAR file, bypassing the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the necessary steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-35528.

Immediate Steps to Take

Ensure the applications are updated to the patched versions: Retail Operations v5.7.3.1 and CSB v5.7.3.1.
Monitor for any unauthorized access or data modifications within the applications.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch the applications to address security vulnerabilities promptly.
Enhance authentication and authorization mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Hitachi Energy to remediate the vulnerability and enhance the overall security posture.