CVE-2024-55022: Weintek cMT-3072XH2 RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-55022 Overview

CVE-2024-55022 is an authenticated command injection vulnerability affecting the Weintek cMT-3072XH2 Human Machine Interface (HMI) device running easyweb v2.1.53 with OS v20231011. The vulnerability exists in the HMI Name parameter, allowing authenticated attackers to inject and execute arbitrary system commands on the underlying operating system. This type of vulnerability is particularly critical in industrial control system (ICS) environments where HMI devices serve as critical interfaces between operators and industrial processes.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can achieve remote command execution on the affected Weintek HMI device, potentially compromising industrial control systems, manipulating operational processes, or pivoting to other connected systems within the OT network.

Affected Products

• Weintek cMT-3072XH2 easyweb v2.1.53
• Weintek cMT-3072XH2 OS v20231011
• Other Weintek cMT series devices may also be affected (unconfirmed)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-03 - CVE-2024-55022 published to NVD
• 2026-03-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-55022

Vulnerability Analysis

This command injection vulnerability (CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code) allows an authenticated user to inject operating system commands through the HMI Name parameter in the easyweb interface. The vulnerability arises because user-supplied input in the HMI Name field is passed directly to system shell commands without proper sanitization or validation. While authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, once an attacker has valid credentials—whether obtained through legitimate access, credential theft, or default password exploitation—they can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web application process.

In industrial environments, Weintek HMI devices typically interface directly with PLCs, RTUs, and other critical operational technology components. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate industrial processes, exfiltrate sensitive operational data, establish persistent backdoors, or use the compromised device as a pivot point for lateral movement within the OT network.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-55022 is insufficient input validation and sanitization in the HMI Name parameter handling logic. When the HMI Name is configured or updated through the easyweb interface, the application constructs system commands using the user-supplied value without properly escaping or filtering shell metacharacters. This allows specially crafted input containing command separators (such as ;, |, &&, or backticks) to break out of the intended command context and execute additional arbitrary commands.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires low-privilege authenticated access to the easyweb interface. An attacker with valid credentials can navigate to the HMI configuration section and inject malicious payloads into the HMI Name parameter. Common exploitation techniques include:

• Using command separators (;, |, &&) to append malicious commands
• Employing command substitution with backticks or $() syntax
• Leveraging newline characters to inject multi-line commands

The attacker could execute commands to download and execute additional payloads, establish reverse shells, modify device configurations, or extract sensitive information from the device and connected systems.

For detailed technical analysis and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub Code Snippet and Notion Product Analysis provided by the security researcher.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-55022

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or suspicious values in the HMI Name configuration field containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &&, backticks, $())
• Unexpected outbound network connections originating from the HMI device
• Anomalous process execution on the HMI device, particularly shells spawned by web application processes
• Modified system files or unexpected files in temporary directories
• Authentication logs showing access patterns inconsistent with normal operational activity

Detection Strategies

• Monitor HTTP/HTTPS traffic to the easyweb interface for requests containing command injection patterns in POST parameters
• Implement network segmentation monitoring to detect unexpected traffic flows from HMI devices to external networks
• Deploy IDS/IPS rules to detect common command injection payloads targeting the HMI Name parameter
• Analyze device logs for configuration changes to the HMI Name field, especially those containing special characters

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging on the Weintek HMI device and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation and analysis
• Implement network traffic analysis at OT network boundaries to detect command-and-control communications
• Establish baseline behavior profiles for HMI device network activity and alert on deviations
• Conduct periodic configuration audits to identify unauthorized changes to device settings

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-55022

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the easyweb interface using firewall rules, limiting access to only authorized management systems
• Implement strong authentication practices including unique credentials, password complexity requirements, and multi-factor authentication where supported
• Review and audit all user accounts with access to the HMI device, removing unnecessary or default accounts
• Segment the affected HMI devices from broader IT networks and limit their connectivity to only essential operational systems
• Monitor for exploitation attempts while awaiting vendor patches

Patch Information

At the time of this publication, no official patch information has been released by Weintek. Organizations should monitor the vendor's official security advisories and product support channels for firmware updates addressing this vulnerability. Contact Weintek support directly for guidance on available remediation options for the cMT-3072XH2 device.

Workarounds

• Place the affected HMI device behind a properly configured firewall that restricts access to the easyweb interface from untrusted networks
• Implement a web application firewall (WAF) or reverse proxy with input validation rules to filter command injection attempts
• Disable remote access to the easyweb interface if not operationally required, limiting configuration changes to local console access only
• Implement network monitoring and alerting for any suspicious activity targeting the HMI device
• Consider implementing jump servers or bastion hosts for administrative access to reduce direct exposure

# Example firewall rule to restrict access to easyweb interface (adjust IP ranges as needed)
# Allow access only from authorized management network
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 10.0.100.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.100.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP