A vulnerability exists in the Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) Connectivity Package (ConnPack) credential storage function in Hitachi Energy’s PCM600 product included in the versions listed below, where IEDs credentials are stored in a cleartext format in the PCM600 database. An attacker who manages to get access to the exported backup file can exploit the vulnerability and obtain credentials of the IEDs. The credentials may be used to perform unauthorized modifications such as loading incorrect configurations, reboot the IEDs or cause a denial-of-service on the IEDs.
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within a resource that might be accessible to another control sphere.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 650connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.3.0 (including) | 1.3.0 (including) |
| 650connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 2.1.2 (including) | 2.1.2 (including) |
| 650connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 2.2.2 (including) | 2.2.2 (including) |
| 650connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 2.3.0 (including) | 2.3.0 (including) |
| 650connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 2.4.1 (including) | 2.4.1 (including) |
| 670connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 3.0.2 (including) | 3.0.2 (including) |
| 670connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 3.1.2 (including) | 3.1.2 (including) |
| 670connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 3.2.6 (including) | 3.2.6 (including) |
| 670connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 3.3.0 (including) | 3.3.0 (including) |
| 670connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 3.4.1 (including) | 3.4.1 (including) |
| Gms600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.3.0 (including) | 1.3.0 (including) |
| Gms600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.3.1 (including) | 1.3.1 (including) |
| Pcm600 | Hitachienergy | * | 2.11 (including) |
| Pwc600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.1.0 (including) | 1.1.0 (including) |
| Pwc600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.1.1 (including) | 1.1.1 (including) |
| Pwc600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.1.2 (including) | 1.1.2 (including) |
| Pwc600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.2.0 (including) | 1.2.0 (including) |
| Pwc600connectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.3.0 (including) | 1.3.0 (including) |
| Sam600ioconnectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.0.0 (including) | 1.0.0 (including) |
| Sam600ioconnectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.1.0 (including) | 1.1.0 (including) |
| Sam600ioconnectivitypackage | Hitachienergy | 1.2.0 (including) | 1.2.0 (including) |
Because the information is stored in cleartext (i.e., unencrypted), attackers could potentially read it. Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information. When organizations adopt cloud services, it can be easier for attackers to access the data from anywhere on the Internet. In some systems/environments such as cloud, the use of “double encryption” (at both the software and hardware layer) might be required, and the developer might be solely responsible for both layers, instead of shared responsibility with the administrator of the broader system/environment.