CVE-2024-48852: FLEXON Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2024-48852 Overview

CVE-2024-48852 is an Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File vulnerability (CWE-532) identified in ABB FLXEON industrial control systems. The vulnerability allows improper disclosure of sensitive information through HTTPS access. This security flaw affects FLXEON versions through 9.3.4 and prior, potentially exposing confidential data that should not be logged or accessible to unauthorized parties.

Critical Impact

Sensitive information may be improperly disclosed through HTTPS access, potentially exposing credentials, session tokens, or other confidential data logged by the FLXEON system.

Affected Products

• ABB FLXEON versions through 9.3.4 and earlier
• FLXEON industrial control system deployments accessible via HTTPS

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-01-29 - CVE CVE-2024-48852 published to NVD
• 2025-01-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-48852

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-532 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File), a category of information disclosure flaws where applications inadvertently write sensitive data to log files. In the context of FLXEON, the vulnerability manifests through the HTTPS interface, where certain sensitive information becomes accessible to unauthorized parties.

The network-based attack vector means that adversaries with network access to the FLXEON system can potentially extract sensitive information without requiring any privileges or user interaction. While the confidentiality impact is limited, the ease of exploitation and the industrial nature of the affected systems make this a significant concern for operational technology (OT) environments.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-48852 lies in improper handling of sensitive information within the FLXEON logging mechanism. The system fails to properly sanitize or exclude sensitive data before writing to log files, and these logs are subsequently accessible through the HTTPS interface. This represents a failure in secure coding practices where sensitive data classification and protection were not adequately implemented in the logging subsystem.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring an attacker to have network connectivity to the FLXEON system's HTTPS interface. The exploitation does not require authentication, elevated privileges, or user interaction, making it accessible to any network-adjacent threat actor.

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Establishing an HTTPS connection to the vulnerable FLXEON system
2. Accessing log files or endpoints that expose logged sensitive information
3. Extracting credentials, session data, or other confidential information from the exposed logs

For detailed technical information, refer to the ABB Technical Document.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-48852

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTPS requests targeting log file endpoints or administrative interfaces on FLXEON systems
• Unexpected access patterns to diagnostic or logging endpoints from external or unauthorized IP addresses
• Evidence of credential harvesting or session token theft following log file access
• Anomalous network traffic patterns indicating reconnaissance or data exfiltration from FLXEON devices

Detection Strategies

• Implement network monitoring to detect abnormal HTTPS traffic patterns to FLXEON systems
• Deploy intrusion detection system (IDS) rules to identify attempts to access sensitive log endpoints
• Enable comprehensive audit logging on FLXEON devices to track access to administrative functions
• Monitor for authentication anomalies that may indicate credential compromise from exposed logs

Monitoring Recommendations

• Establish baseline network behavior for FLXEON systems and alert on deviations
• Implement log aggregation and SIEM correlation for FLXEON access logs
• Configure alerts for access attempts to known sensitive endpoints or log file paths
• Regularly review access logs for signs of reconnaissance or information gathering activities

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-48852

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify all FLXEON installations running version 9.3.4 or earlier in your environment
• Restrict network access to FLXEON HTTPS interfaces using firewall rules or network segmentation
• Implement strong authentication mechanisms and access controls for all FLXEON administrative interfaces
• Review current log configurations and disable or restrict access to sensitive logging endpoints where possible

Patch Information

ABB has released a security advisory addressing this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the ABB Technical Document for official patch information, updated firmware versions, and detailed remediation guidance. Apply vendor-provided updates as soon as they become available for your FLXEON deployment.

Workarounds

• Implement network segmentation to isolate FLXEON systems from untrusted networks
• Deploy a reverse proxy or web application firewall (WAF) in front of FLXEON HTTPS interfaces to filter malicious requests
• Restrict HTTPS access to FLXEON systems to authorized IP addresses only using access control lists (ACLs)
• Disable unnecessary logging features or endpoints until patches can be applied

# Example network segmentation using iptables (adapt to your environment)
# Restrict access to FLXEON HTTPS interface (port 443) to authorized management network only
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.10.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP