CVE-2024-41788: Siemens 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager RCE Flaw

CVE-2024-41788 Overview

CVE-2024-41788 is a command injection vulnerability affecting all versions of the Siemens SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager. The web interface fails to sanitize input parameters in specific GET requests. An authenticated remote attacker can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the affected device.

The vulnerability maps to CWE-78, OS Command Injection. Siemens published advisory SSA-187636 covering the issue. The SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager is used for energy monitoring and data acquisition in industrial and commercial power management deployments.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can achieve root-level remote code execution on affected devices, enabling full compromise of the energy management gateway and pivoting into connected operational technology networks.

Affected Products

Siemens SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager (all firmware versions)
Siemens SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager hardware appliance
Deployments exposing the device web interface to reachable networks

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-08 - CVE-2024-41788 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-41788

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw resides in the web management interface of the SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager. Specific HTTP GET request parameters are passed to underlying operating system commands without input sanitization or output encoding. Attackers append shell metacharacters to these parameters to break out of the intended command context and inject arbitrary system commands.

Because the web interface backend runs with root privileges, injected commands execute with the highest privilege level on the device. Successful exploitation allows attackers to read or modify configuration, disable protective functions, install persistence, and use the device as a foothold into segmented industrial networks. The vulnerability requires authentication, but no user interaction, and can be reached over the network.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input validation on GET request parameters that are concatenated into shell commands. The web application invokes system calls without using safe execution primitives such as parameterized command APIs, allowlists of permitted characters, or shell-escape functions. This aligns with the CWE-78 class of OS command injection weaknesses.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network reachability to the device web interface and valid authenticated credentials. An attacker crafts an HTTP GET request containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, backticks, or pipes appended to a vulnerable parameter value. The device processes the request, executes the injected command as root, and returns control of the underlying operating system to the attacker. See the Siemens Security Advisory SSA-187636 for technical scope details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-41788

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected outbound connections originating from the SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager to attacker-controlled infrastructure
Presence of new user accounts, cron jobs, or startup scripts on the device after web interface access
HTTP access logs containing GET requests with shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &&, backticks, or $( in parameter values
Anomalous process execution under the root user spawned by the web server process

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server logs on the device for GET requests containing URL-encoded shell metacharacters targeting management endpoints
Monitor north-south and east-west network traffic from the device for unexpected protocols, reverse shells, or outbound HTTPS to unknown destinations
Baseline normal administrative activity on the web interface and alert on deviations in request patterns or parameter length

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward device access logs and network flow telemetry to a centralized SIEM for correlation with authentication events
Enable alerting on failed and successful authentication attempts to the web interface, especially from non-administrative source addresses
Track process creation and outbound network activity from the device when telemetry from adjacent network sensors is available

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-41788

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager web interface to trusted management hosts only, using firewall rules or ACLs
Rotate all administrative credentials on affected devices and remove unused accounts
Isolate affected devices within a dedicated OT management VLAN and block internet-facing exposure
Review web interface access logs for signs of prior exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Refer to the Siemens Security Advisory SSA-187636 for current remediation guidance. At the time of NVD publication, all firmware versions of the SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager are listed as affected, and Siemens directs customers to the advisory for product-specific recommendations and lifecycle status.

Workarounds

Place the device behind a network segmentation boundary that permits web interface access only from a jump host
Disable or restrict remote administrative access when the web interface is not actively required for operations
Apply Siemens operational guidelines for industrial security, including defense-in-depth controls and secure cell protection
Monitor Siemens ProductCERT communications for updated firmware or end-of-support guidance

bash

# Example firewall restriction limiting web interface access to a management subnet
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 10.10.20.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.10.20.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP