CVE-2021-22283 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2021-22283
Vulnerability Scoring

6.2
/10
High Risk

If left unpatched, CVE-2021-22283 could lead to major system disruptions or data loss.

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low
    Exploits can be performed without significant complexity or special conditions.
  • Attack Vector: Local
    Vulnerability requires local system access.
  • Privileges Required: None
    No privileges are required for exploitation.
  • Scope: Unchanged
    Exploit remains within the originally vulnerable component.
  • User Interaction: None
    No user interaction is necessary for exploitation.

CVE-2021-22283 Details

Status: Modified

Last updated: 🕠 21 Nov 2024, 05:49 UTC
Originally published on: 🕔 28 Feb 2023, 05:15 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 632 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

cybersecurity@ch.abb.com

CVSS3 Type

Secondary

CVSS3 Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVE-2021-22283 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2021-22283: Improper Initialization vulnerability in ABB Relion protection relays - 611 series, ABB Relion protection relays - 615 series IEC 4.0 FP1, ABB Relion protection relays - 615 series CN 4.0 FP1, ABB Relion protection relays - 615 series IEC 5.0, ABB Relion protection relays - 615 series IEC 5.0 FP1, ABB Relion protection relays - 620 series IEC/CN 2.0, ABB Relion protection relays - 620 series IEC/CN 2.0 FP1, ABB Relion protection relays - REX640 PCL1, ABB Relion protection relays - REX640 PCL2, ABB Relion protection relays - REX640 PCL3, ABB Relion protection relays - RER615, ABB Remote Monitoring and Control - REC615, ABB Merging Unit- SMU615 allows Communication Channel Manipulation.This issue affects Relion protection relays - 611 series: from 1.0.0 before 2.0.3; Relion protection relays - 615 series IEC 4.0 FP1: from 4.1.0 before 4.1.9; Relion protection relays - 615 series CN 4.0 FP1: from 4.1.0 before 4.1.8; Relion protection relays - 615 series IEC 5.0: from 5.0.0 before 5.0.12; Relion protection relays - 615 series IEC 5.0 FP1: from 5.1.0 before 5.1.20; Relion protection relays - 620 series IEC/CN 2.0: from 2.0.0 before 2.0.11; Relion protection relays - 620 series IEC/CN 2.0 FP1: from 2.1.0 before 2.1.15; Relion protection relays - REX640 PCL1: from 1.0.0 before 1.0.8; Relion protection relays - REX640 PCL2: from 1.1.0 before 1.1.4; Relion protection relays - REX640 PCL3: from 1.2.0 before 1.2.1; Relion protection relays - RER615: from 2.0.0 before 2.0.3; Remote Monitoring and Control - REC615: from 1.0.0 before 2.0.3; Merging Unit- SMU615: from 1.0.0 before 1.0.2.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2021-22283

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2021-22283 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2021-22283

With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2021-22283 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2021-22283, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2021-22283, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

  • Confidentiality: None
    CVE-2021-22283 has no significant impact on data confidentiality.
  • Integrity: None
    CVE-2021-22283 poses no threat to data integrity.
  • Availability: High
    CVE-2021-22283 can disrupt system operations, potentially causing complete denial of service (DoS).

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

The EPSS score estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the near future.

EPSS Score: 0.044% (probability of exploit)

EPSS Percentile: 15.45% (lower percentile = lower relative risk)
This vulnerability is less risky than approximately 84.55% of others.

CVE-2021-22283 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-665

CAPEC Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification

  • Leveraging Race Conditions CAPEC-26 The adversary targets a race condition occurring when multiple processes access and manipulate the same resource concurrently, and the outcome of the execution depends on the particular order in which the access takes place. The adversary can leverage a race condition by "running the race", modifying the resource and modifying the normal execution flow. For instance, a race condition can occur while accessing a file: the adversary can trick the system by replacing the original file with their version and cause the system to read the malicious file.
  • Leveraging Time-of-Check and Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) Race Conditions CAPEC-29 This attack targets a race condition occurring between the time of check (state) for a resource and the time of use of a resource. A typical example is file access. The adversary can leverage a file access race condition by "running the race", meaning that they would modify the resource between the first time the target program accesses the file and the time the target program uses the file. During that period of time, the adversary could replace or modify the file, causing the application to behave unexpectedly.

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:smu615_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:smu615_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:smu615:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:smu615:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rec615_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rec615_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:rec615:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:rec615:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rer615_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rer615_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:rer615:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:rer615:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:evd4_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:evd4_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:evd4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:evd4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:ref615r_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:ref615r_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615r:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615r:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl3_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl3_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:rex640_pcl3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:rex640_pcl3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl2_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl2_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:rex640_pcl2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:rex640_pcl2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl1_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl1_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl1_firmware:1.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rex640_pcl1_firmware:1.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:rex640_pcl1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:rex640_pcl1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:rer620_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:rer620_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:rer620:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:rer620:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_611:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_611:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:ref615_iec_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:ref615_iec_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_iec:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_iec:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:ref615_ansi_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:ref615_ansi_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_ansi:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_ansi:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_iec:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_iec:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:red615_iec_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:red615_iec_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:red615_iec:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:red615_iec:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_ansi:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:ref615_ansi:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_615_iec_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_615_iec_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_615_cn_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_615_cn_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:5.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:5.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_615_ansi_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_615_ansi_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:4.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:4.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:4.0:fp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:4.0:fp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:5.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_ansi:5.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:4.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:4.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:4.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_cn:4.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:5.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:5.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:5.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_615_iec:5.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_iec:2.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_iec:2.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_cn:2.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_cn:2.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_620_ansi_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:abb:relion_620_ansi_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_ansi:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_ansi:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_iec:2.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_iec:2.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_cn:2.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:h:abb:relion_620_cn:2.0:fp1:*:*:*:*:*:*

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