CVE-2024-41789 Overview
CVE-2024-41789 is an OS command injection vulnerability affecting the Siemens SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager. The web interface fails to sanitize the language parameter passed in specific POST requests. An authenticated remote attacker can inject shell commands that execute with root privileges on the underlying device.
The flaw is tracked as [CWE-78] Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. Siemens documents the issue in Siemens Security Advisory SSA-187636.
Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker with network access to the web interface can achieve arbitrary code execution as root, resulting in full compromise of the energy monitoring device.
Affected Products
- Siemens SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager (all firmware versions)
- Siemens SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager hardware appliance
- All deployments exposing the device web interface on any network segment
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-08 - CVE-2024-41789 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-41789
Vulnerability Analysis
The SENTRON 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager exposes a web management interface for configuring energy metering functions. Specific POST requests accept a language parameter that selects the user interface locale. The affected handler passes this parameter into an operating system command without input validation or safe API usage.
An attacker who holds valid credentials can supply shell metacharacters in the language field. The device then executes the injected payload as root, since the web service runs with elevated privileges. Exploitation yields full control of the device, including firmware modification, credential theft, and lateral movement into operational technology (OT) networks.
Authentication is required, but many field deployments rely on default or shared credentials for maintenance access. Where the device is reachable from a corporate network or the internet, the barrier to exploitation is limited to obtaining a single valid session.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input sanitization on the language POST parameter in the web interface. User-supplied data flows directly into a shell command invocation without escaping or allowlist validation, which is the classic pattern captured by [CWE-78].
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based against the device HTTP interface. An authenticated attacker submits a crafted POST request containing shell metacharacters in the language field. The device concatenates the value into a system command and executes it as root. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own request.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available at the time of writing. Refer to Siemens Security Advisory SSA-187636 for vendor-provided technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-41789
Indicators of Compromise
- POST requests to the device web interface where the language parameter contains shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &, `, or $(.
- Unexpected outbound network connections originating from the 7KT PAC1260 device management IP.
- Modifications to device configuration, user accounts, or firmware that do not correlate to authorized change windows.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect HTTP request logs from network sensors or upstream proxies for anomalous values in the language parameter of POST requests to the device.
- Alert on authenticated sessions to the device originating from IP ranges outside the maintenance workstation subnet.
- Correlate device authentication events with subsequent configuration changes to identify abuse of legitimate credentials.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward device syslog and web access logs to a centralized SIEM or data lake for retention and correlation.
- Baseline normal administrative activity, including source IPs, request rates, and parameter values, then alert on deviations.
- Monitor OT network segments for unexpected east-west traffic originating from energy monitoring appliances.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-41789
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the device web interface using firewall rules or VLAN segmentation, limiting reachability to a defined maintenance workstation subnet.
- Rotate all credentials on affected devices and remove any default or shared accounts.
- Audit historical web access logs for suspicious language parameter values or unexpected authentication events.
Patch Information
Siemens has not published a fixed firmware version for the 7KT PAC1260 Data Manager in the referenced advisory. Consult Siemens Security Advisory SSA-187636 for the current remediation status and any updated firmware releases.
Workarounds
- Place the device behind a firewall that permits management traffic only from authorized engineering workstations.
- Disable remote access to the web interface where operationally feasible and require VPN or jump-host connectivity.
- Enforce strong, unique credentials on every device and revoke unused accounts.
- Follow Siemens operational guidelines for industrial security as described in the vendor advisory.
# Example firewall restriction limiting web interface access to a maintenance 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
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
