CVE-2024-28948: Advantech ADAM-5630 CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2024-28948 Overview

CVE-2024-28948 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the Advantech ADAM-5630 industrial controller. The flaw lets an attacker partly circumvent the same-origin policy, which normally prevents websites from interfering with each other. An attacker who tricks an authenticated operator into visiting a malicious page on an adjacent network can submit unauthorized state-changing requests to the device. Because the ADAM-5630 is deployed in industrial control system (ICS) environments, successful exploitation can alter device configuration or operational state. The weakness is classified under CWE-352.

Critical Impact
Authenticated ADAM-5630 sessions can be hijacked through crafted web requests, allowing attackers to modify device configuration with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the targeted industrial controller.

Affected Products

Advantech ADAM-5630 hardware controller
Advantech ADAM-5630 firmware (all versions per the CISA advisory)
ICS deployments exposing the ADAM-5630 web interface on adjacent networks

Discovery Timeline

2024-09-27 - CVE-2024-28948 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2024-09-26 - CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-24-270-02 released
2024-10-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-28948

Vulnerability Analysis

The ADAM-5630 web management interface accepts state-changing HTTP requests without verifying that the request originated from a legitimate, user-initiated workflow. The server relies on session cookies for authentication but does not validate an anti-CSRF token, a custom request header, or a strict Origin/Referer check. An attacker who lures an authenticated administrator to a malicious page can cause the browser to issue authenticated requests against the controller. Because the same-origin policy does not block cross-origin form submissions or simple requests, the device processes these requests as legitimate operator actions. In an industrial environment, this can translate to configuration changes, credential resets, or operational disruption to the controlled process.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing CSRF protection in the ADAM-5630 HTTP interface. The firmware does not enforce a synchronizer token pattern, double-submit cookie, or SameSite cookie attribute on session identifiers. Without these controls, the device cannot distinguish between requests initiated by the operator and requests forged by an attacker-controlled origin.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires an adjacent network position and user interaction. The attacker hosts a malicious page or injects content into a page accessible to an operator with an active ADAM-5630 session. When the operator loads that page, the attacker's JavaScript or HTML form auto-submits a crafted request to the controller's management endpoint. The browser attaches the operator's session cookie, and the device executes the action. No credentials are needed by the attacker because the victim's authenticated browser performs the request.

No public proof-of-concept or exploit code is available at the time of writing. Technical details are referenced in the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-24-270-02.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-28948

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected configuration changes to ADAM-5630 controllers without a corresponding operator change ticket
HTTP requests to the ADAM-5630 management interface with Referer or Origin headers pointing to external or unknown domains
Authenticated administrative actions occurring outside normal operator working hours
Session activity from operator workstations that coincides with browsing to non-ICS web content

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server and proxy logs for cross-origin POST requests targeting ADAM-5630 endpoints
Correlate operator browser history or proxy logs with controller configuration change events to identify CSRF-style request patterns
Alert on ADAM-5630 administrative actions that lack a matching interactive login event from the same workstation

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward ADAM-5630 access and audit logs to a centralized SIEM or data lake for retention and correlation
Monitor north-south and east-west traffic to OT/ICS subnets for HTTP requests originating from operator workstations to controller management ports
Track configuration baselines on ADAM-5630 devices and alert on drift

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-28948

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the ADAM-5630 management interface to a dedicated engineering workstation segment
Require operators to close all other browser tabs and sessions before authenticating to the ADAM-5630 web interface
Apply firmware updates from Advantech as soon as they become available per CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-24-270-02
Review recent device configuration changes for unauthorized modifications

Patch Information

Advantech mitigation guidance is published through the CISA Industrial Control Systems Advisory ICSA-24-270-02. Asset owners should consult the advisory for the latest firmware version and apply the vendor-recommended update. Where a fixed firmware release is not yet available, follow the compensating controls listed below.

Workarounds

Isolate ADAM-5630 controllers behind a firewall and block all internet access to and from the device
Place ICS networks behind VPNs and only allow management traffic from hardened jump hosts
Disable or limit web browsing on workstations that administer the ADAM-5630
Use browser session isolation so the ADAM-5630 interface is opened in a dedicated browser profile that holds no other tabs

bash

# Example firewall rule to restrict ADAM-5630 management access
# Replace <ENG_WS_SUBNET> and <ADAM_IP> with site-specific values
iptables -A FORWARD -s <ENG_WS_SUBNET> -d <ADAM_IP> -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -d <ADAM_IP> -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -d <ADAM_IP> -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP