Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-31894

HighLPE

Published: 13 July 2021

Published
13 July 2021
Modified
21 November 2024
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0003 8.7th percentile
Risk Priority 18 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2021-31894 is a high-severity Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource (CWE-732) vulnerability in Siemens Sinamics Starter Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked at the 8.7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC PCS 7 V8.2 and earlier (All versions), SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.X (All versions < V9.1 SP2), SIMATIC PDM (All versions < V9.2 SP2), SIMATIC STEP 7 V5.X (All versions < V5.7), SINAMICS STARTER…

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(containing STEP 7 OEM version) (All versions < V5.4 SP2 HF1). A directory containing metafiles relevant to devices' configurations has write permissions. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability by changing the content of certain metafiles and subsequently manipulate parameters or behavior of devices that would be later configured by the affected software.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

siemens
simatic pcs 7 firmware
9.0 · ≤ 8.2
siemens
simatic pdm firmware
all versions
siemens
simatic step 7 firmware
5.0 — 5.7
siemens
sinamics starter firmware
5.4 · ≤ 5.4

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-732

Procedures support proper permission assignment for critical resources through documented controls.

addresses: CWE-732

Attribute management for resources provides a mechanism to assign and maintain correct permissions based on security labels.

addresses: CWE-732

Prevents overly permissive assignments to critical resources by limiting to task needs.

addresses: CWE-732

Training policy covers correct permission assignment, reducing the ability to exploit incorrect permission assignments for critical resources.

addresses: CWE-732

Training on permission management reduces incorrect permission assignments for critical resources.

addresses: CWE-732

Audit logs and logging tools are critical resources whose protection requires correct permission assignments to block unauthorized actions.

addresses: CWE-732

Assessments review permission assignments on critical resources to confirm correctness, mitigating exploitation via incorrect permissions.

addresses: CWE-732

Certification includes checking that permissions on critical resources are correctly assigned.

References