SSA-042050

Siemens Security Advisory by Siemens ProductCERT

SSA-042050: Know-How Protection Mechanism Failure in TIA Portal

Publication Date:	2023-06-13
Last Update:	2024-12-10
Current Version:	V1.2
CVSS v3.1 Base Score:	6.2

SUMMARY

The know-how protection feature in Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) does not properly update the encryption of existing program blocks when a project file is updated. This could allow attackers with access to the project file to recover previous - yet unprotected - versions of the project without the knowledge of the know-how protection password.

Siemens recommends specific countermeasures for products where fixes are not, or not yet available.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS AND SOLUTION

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Affected Product and Versions	Remediation
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal)	Currently no fix is planned
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V14 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109742284?c=87347935883)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V15 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109764516?c=105012867723)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V15.1 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109755202?c=105012867723)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V16 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109773506?c=126979557387)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V17 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109798671?c=132780438283)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V18 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109815056?c=132780438283)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V19 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapters "Security information" and "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/en/view/109826862/)
Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V20 All versions affected by CVE-2023-30757	Currently no fix is planned Archive the project: the optimization of project data during archiving removes older, possibly unprotected project content; see also the chapter "Protecting Blocks" in the system manual (https://docs.tia.siemens.cloud/r/en-us/v20/protecting-blocks)

WORKAROUNDS AND MITIGATIONS

Product-specific remediations or mitigations can be found in the section Affected Products and Solution.
Please follow the General Security Recommendations.

GENERAL SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS

As a general security measure, Siemens strongly recommends to protect network access to devices with appropriate mechanisms. In order to operate the devices in a protected IT environment, Siemens recommends to configure the environment according to Siemens' operational guidelines for Industrial Security (Download: https://www.siemens.com/cert/operational-guidelines-industrial-security), and to follow the recommendations in the product manuals. Additional information on Industrial Security by Siemens can be found at: https://www.siemens.com/industrialsecurity

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) is a PC software that provides access to the complete range of Siemens digitalized automation services, from digital planning and integrated engineering to transparent operation.

VULNERABILITY DESCRIPTION

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This chapter describes all vulnerabilities (CVE-IDs) addressed in this security advisory. Wherever applicable, it also documents the product-specific impact of the individual vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability CVE-2023-30757

The know-how protection feature in affected products does not properly update the encryption of existing program blocks when a project file is updated.

This could allow attackers with access to the project file to recover previous - yet unprotected - versions of the project without the knowledge of the know-how protection password.

CVSS v3.1 Base Score	6.2
CVSS v3.1 Vector	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:P/RL:T/RC:C
CWE	CWE-693: Protection Mechanism Failure

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Siemens thanks the following party for its efforts:

Eli Biham, Sara Bitan, Alon Dankner, Arnon Lazerson, and Assaf Rosenbaum from Faculty of Computer Science, Technion Haifa for reporting the vulnerability

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For further inquiries on security vulnerabilities in Siemens products and solutions, please contact the Siemens ProductCERT: https://www.siemens.com/cert/advisories

HISTORY DATA

V1.0 (2023-06-13):	Publication Date
V1.1 (2023-12-12):	Added Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V19 as affected product
V1.2 (2024-12-10):	No fix planned for Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V19; Added Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal) V20 as affected product

The use of Siemens Security Advisories is subject to the terms and conditions listed on: https://www.siemens.com/productcert/terms-of-use.