CVE-2022-34837

Network-client access via recoverable INI password

Published Aug 24, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Credential exposure in ABB Ability zenon 8.20 and earlier allows local users to recover a network password from an INI file. The password is encrypted with a predictable, reversible key, while file permissions allow arbitrary machine users to read the INI file. Local access and knowledge of the password-generation internals are required; recovered credentials allow unauthorized network clients to monitor zenon activity.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Credential exposure in ABB Ability zenon 8.20 and earlier allows local users to recover a network password from an INI file. The password is encrypted with a predictable, reversible key, while file permissions allow arbitrary machine users to read the INI file. Local access and knowledge of the password-generation internals are required; recovered credentials allow unauthorized network clients to monitor zenon activity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-34837
Published
Aug 24, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
ABB
Product
ABB Ability zenon
Classifications
CWE-257, CWE-522, T1552.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 24, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=8.20

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

ABB · ABB Ability zenonversion=unspecified <=8.20

Published CVSS scores

6.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
6.2ABBCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-257Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format
CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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