CVE-2024-4609: FactoryTalk View SE SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-4609 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability exists in the Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk® View SE Datalog function that could allow a threat actor to inject malicious SQL statements. This vulnerability is exploitable when the SQL database has no authentication configured or when legitimate credentials have been compromised. Successful exploitation could lead to information exposure, revealing sensitive data, as well as unauthorized modification or deletion of data in a remote database. Notably, this attack vector only affects the HMI design time environment, not the runtime operations.

Critical Impact

Threat actors can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to access, modify, or delete sensitive data in connected SQL databases, potentially compromising industrial control system configurations during HMI design operations.

Affected Products

• Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk® View SE (all versions)
• FactoryTalk View SE Datalog function component
• HMI design time environments connected to SQL databases

Discovery Timeline

• May 16, 2024 - CVE-2024-4609 published to NVD
• January 30, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-4609

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation). The FactoryTalk View SE Datalog function fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. When the underlying SQL database lacks authentication mechanisms or an attacker has obtained valid credentials, malicious SQL statements can be injected through the Datalog interface.

The attack is network-accessible with low complexity, requiring no special privileges or user interaction to exploit. This makes it particularly concerning for industrial environments where FactoryTalk View SE systems may be exposed on internal networks. While the vulnerability is limited to design time operations rather than runtime, the potential for data exfiltration and manipulation of historical or configuration data represents a significant security risk.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation (CWE-20) in the FactoryTalk View SE Datalog function. User-supplied input is not adequately sanitized before being passed to SQL query construction, allowing attackers to break out of intended query parameters and inject arbitrary SQL commands. The absence of prepared statements or parameterized queries enables direct manipulation of the underlying database operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An attacker with network access to the FactoryTalk View SE system can target the Datalog function during HMI design operations. The attack requires either an unauthenticated SQL database configuration or possession of valid database credentials.

The exploitation follows a typical SQL injection pattern: malicious input is crafted to escape the expected query context and execute unauthorized SQL commands. This could include UNION SELECT statements for data extraction, UPDATE or DELETE statements for data manipulation, or other SQL commands depending on database permissions.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-4609

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL query patterns in database logs originating from FactoryTalk View SE systems
• Unexpected database read operations accessing sensitive configuration or historical data
• Unauthorized modifications or deletions in FactoryTalk-related database tables
• Failed or anomalous authentication attempts to SQL databases from HMI workstations

Detection Strategies

• Monitor SQL database audit logs for injection patterns such as UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, comment sequences (--, /**/), or stacked queries
• Implement network traffic analysis to detect anomalous data flows between FactoryTalk View SE systems and SQL databases
• Deploy application-layer firewalls or web application firewalls capable of detecting SQL injection attempts
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on unusual database operations during non-standard design time hours

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed SQL query logging on databases connected to FactoryTalk View SE
• Implement real-time alerting for database schema changes or bulk data operations
• Monitor FactoryTalk View SE application logs for unusual Datalog function activity
• Establish baseline behavior for design time operations to identify anomalous patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-4609

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and apply patches or updates from Rockwell Automation as detailed in Security Advisory SD1670
• Ensure SQL databases connected to FactoryTalk View SE have strong authentication enabled
• Implement network segmentation to limit access to FactoryTalk View SE systems and associated databases
• Audit and rotate any database credentials that may have been compromised
• Restrict network access to FactoryTalk View SE design time environments to authorized personnel only

Patch Information

Rockwell Automation has released a security advisory (SD1670) addressing this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the Rockwell Automation Security Advisory for specific patch information, affected version details, and upgrade guidance. Contact Rockwell Automation support or authorized distributors for the latest firmware and software updates.

Workarounds

• Enable authentication on all SQL databases connected to FactoryTalk View SE systems
• Implement principle of least privilege for database accounts used by FactoryTalk View SE
• Deploy network-level access controls to restrict connectivity to trusted sources only
• Consider implementing a database firewall or SQL activity monitoring solution
• Isolate HMI design time environments from production networks where possible

# Example: Verify SQL database authentication is enabled
# Check SQL Server authentication mode (Windows example)
sqlcmd -S localhost -Q "SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('IsIntegratedSecurityOnly')"
# Result of 0 indicates mixed mode; ensure strong passwords are configured
# Result of 1 indicates Windows Authentication only

# Restrict network access to SQL database (firewall rule example)
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Restrict SQL Access" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=1433 remoteip=<authorized_HMI_IP>