CVE-2024-45272 Overview
CVE-2024-45272 affects remote service portals operated by Helmholz and MB connect line. An unauthenticated remote attacker can perform a brute-force attack on portal credentials with a high chance of success. Successful attempts result in connection loss for legitimate users of the affected devices and services. The flaw is tracked under [CWE-1391] (Use of Weak Credentials) and is documented in VDE Security Advisory VDE-2024-068, VDE Security Advisory VDE-2024-069, and SYSS Security Advisory SYSS-2024-061.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can brute-force portal credentials over the network, disrupting remote access connections to industrial routers and management gateways.
Affected Products
- Helmholz myREX24 V2 Virtual Server and REX 200/250/300 router firmware
- MB connect line mbCONNECT24 and myMBCONNECT24 remote service portals
- MB connect line mbSPIDER (MDH 905/906/915/916), mbNET, mbNET HW1, and mbNET.rokey firmware
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-15 - CVE-2024-45272 published to NVD
- 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-45272
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the authentication design of the remote service portals provided by Helmholz and MB connect line. These portals manage remote access to industrial routers and gateways deployed in operational technology (OT) environments. The portals do not adequately rate-limit or otherwise constrain authentication attempts, allowing an attacker to iterate through credential candidates at high volume. Because the access surface is network-reachable and requires no prior authentication, the attack can be staged from anywhere on the internet.
A successful brute-force attempt does not directly disclose data or alter integrity. Instead, the impact manifests as a loss of availability: when an attacker authenticates with valid credentials, the legitimate session is disconnected, severing the remote management channel to the underlying industrial device.
Root Cause
The root cause is the use of weak credential controls on the portal authentication interface, as classified by [CWE-1391]. The portal accepts repeated authentication attempts without effective throttling, account lockout, or strong credential complexity enforcement. Combined with predictable or low-entropy credentials, this allows automated guessing to converge on valid pairs.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires no user interaction or prior privileges. An attacker scripts authentication requests against the portal login endpoint and iterates through credential dictionaries. Once a valid credential is found, the attacker can connect to the portal, which disconnects any active legitimate session bound to the same account. See the linked SYSS advisory for additional technical context. No public proof-of-concept code is currently available.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-45272
Indicators of Compromise
- Repeated failed authentication events against the remote service portal originating from a single source or a distributed set of source addresses.
- Unexpected session terminations or reconnect loops reported by operators of REX, mbNET, or mbSPIDER devices.
- Successful portal logins from geographic regions or IP ranges not associated with normal administrative activity.
Detection Strategies
- Aggregate portal authentication logs and alert on volumetric anomalies, such as high failed-login rates per account or per source IP.
- Correlate portal login events with downstream device disconnection events to identify session hijack patterns consistent with this issue.
- Apply baselining to administrative login times, source ASNs, and user-agents to surface deviations.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward portal access logs and device connection telemetry to a central SIEM for long-term retention and correlation.
- Monitor for credential stuffing patterns that share IP infrastructure with known abuse sources.
- Track repeated lockout or reconnect events on remote access accounts tied to OT assets.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-45272
Immediate Actions Required
- Review the Helmholz and MB connect line vendor advisories referenced in VDE-2024-068 and VDE-2024-069 and apply available portal updates.
- Rotate all portal account passwords and enforce high-entropy credentials for every user.
- Enable multi-factor authentication on portal accounts where supported by the vendor.
Patch Information
Vendor remediation guidance is published by CERT@VDE. Consult VDE-2024-068, VDE-2024-069, and SYSS-2024-061 for the current list of fixed portal versions and configuration changes. Operators of Helmholz myREX24 V2, REX 200/250/300, and MB connect line mbCONNECT24, mbSPIDER, mbNET, and mbNET.rokey devices should align portal and firmware versions with the vendor recommendations.
Workarounds
- Restrict portal access using IP allow-lists or VPN front-ends so the login interface is not exposed to the open internet.
- Disable or remove unused portal accounts to reduce the credential surface available to attackers.
- Enforce account lockout thresholds and CAPTCHA challenges if the portal exposes these configuration options.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
