Unauthenticated code execution via root file write
Published Feb 27, 2023 · Updated Mar 10, 2025
Missing authentication in WAGO controller firmware allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files as root through the configuration backend. The network_config API forwards attacker-controlled --error-msg-dst and file-content arguments to a root-privileged backend operation without authentication. Network access to the web management service is sufficient; the write primitive enables persistent configuration tampering and remote code execution.
Summary
What happened
Missing authentication in WAGO controller firmware allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files as root through the configuration backend. The network_config API forwards attacker-controlled --error-msg-dst and file-content arguments to a root-privileged backend operation without authentication. Network access to the web management service is sufficient; the write primitive enables persistent configuration tampering and remote code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-45140
- Published
- Feb 27, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 10, 2025
- Vendor
- WAGO
- Product
- PFC200 Controller
- Classifications
- CWE-306, T0866
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 10, 2025Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=FW16 <FW22
- Affected versionversion=FW23
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- IronSpider CVE-2022-45140 exploit chainfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- IronSpider laboratory exploit chainexploit chain
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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