CVE-2024-10456: Delta Electronics InfraSuite Vulnerability

CVE-2024-10456 Overview

Delta Electronics InfraSuite Device Master versions prior to 1.0.12 are affected by an insecure deserialization vulnerability in the Device-Gateway component. This critical vulnerability allows remote attackers to deserialize arbitrary .NET objects without requiring authentication, potentially leading to remote code execution on affected systems.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this deserialization flaw in the Device-Gateway to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable Delta Electronics InfraSuite Device Master installations, potentially compromising industrial control system infrastructure.

Affected Products

• Delta Electronics InfraSuite Device Master versions prior to 1.0.12
• Device-Gateway component within InfraSuite Device Master

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-10-30 - CVE-2024-10456 published to NVD
• 2024-11-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-10456

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data), a well-known class of security flaws that can have devastating consequences when exploited. The Device-Gateway component in Delta Electronics InfraSuite Device Master fails to properly validate serialized .NET objects before processing them, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute arbitrary code when deserialized.

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited prior to authentication, meaning attackers do not need valid credentials to compromise affected systems. InfraSuite Device Master is commonly deployed in industrial control system (ICS) environments for device management and monitoring, making this vulnerability especially concerning for critical infrastructure operators.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and type checking when the Device-Gateway component processes incoming serialized .NET objects. The application accepts and deserializes untrusted data from network requests without implementing adequate safeguards such as:

• Type whitelisting to restrict deserialization to known-safe classes
• Input validation to verify the integrity and expected format of serialized data
• Authentication requirements before processing potentially dangerous operations

This oversight allows attackers to inject malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the .NET runtime, can trigger arbitrary code execution through gadget chains present in the application or its dependencies.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker with network access to the Device-Gateway service can craft a malicious serialized .NET object containing a carefully constructed gadget chain. When the vulnerable component deserializes this payload, the gadget chain executes, allowing the attacker to run arbitrary commands with the privileges of the InfraSuite Device Master service.

Typical attack scenarios include:

• Direct network access to the Device-Gateway service port
• Exploitation through exposed management interfaces
• Lateral movement within compromised networks hosting ICS infrastructure

The vulnerability mechanism involves crafting malicious .NET serialized objects that exploit known deserialization gadget chains. When the Device-Gateway processes these objects, arbitrary code execution occurs on the target system. For detailed technical information, refer to the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-24-303-03.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-10456

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual network traffic to the Device-Gateway service ports from unexpected sources
• Suspicious process execution originating from the InfraSuite Device Master service
• Unexpected .NET deserialization errors or exceptions in application logs
• Anomalous outbound connections from ICS management systems

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic for malformed or oversized serialized .NET payloads targeting the Device-Gateway
• Implement application-layer inspection to detect known deserialization gadget chain patterns
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify suspicious process spawning from the InfraSuite service
• Enable verbose logging on InfraSuite Device Master to capture deserialization-related events

Monitoring Recommendations

• Establish baselines for normal Device-Gateway network communication patterns and alert on deviations
• Monitor Windows Event Logs for .NET runtime exceptions and process creation events associated with the InfraSuite service
• Implement network segmentation monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to ICS management systems
• Review authentication logs for failed or bypassed authentication attempts against the Device-Gateway

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-10456

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Delta Electronics InfraSuite Device Master to version 1.0.12 or later immediately
• Restrict network access to the Device-Gateway service to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement network segmentation to isolate ICS management systems from general enterprise networks
• Monitor affected systems for signs of compromise while patching is in progress

Patch Information

Delta Electronics has released version 1.0.12 of InfraSuite Device Master to address this vulnerability. Organizations should obtain the patched version through official Delta Electronics channels and apply the update following their change management procedures. CISA has published an advisory with additional guidance at CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-24-303-03.

Workarounds

• Implement strict firewall rules to limit access to the Device-Gateway service to only authorized administrative workstations
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) or intrusion prevention system (IPS) with rules to detect and block deserialization attack patterns
• Consider temporarily disabling the Device-Gateway service if it is not critical to operations until patching can be completed
• Enable enhanced logging and monitoring on affected systems to detect potential exploitation attempts

# Example firewall configuration to restrict Device-Gateway access
# Replace X.X.X.X with authorized administrative IP addresses
# This is a general example - adapt to your specific firewall solution

# Windows Firewall example
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Restrict Device-Gateway" dir=in action=allow remoteip=X.X.X.X protocol=tcp localport=<device-gateway-port>
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Block Device-Gateway Default" dir=in action=block protocol=tcp localport=<device-gateway-port>