Infrastructure Briefing — Advantech iView remote code execution and credential theft risks
CISA’s ICSA-20-196-01 details multiple unauthenticated SQL injection and command injection flaws in Advantech iView that enable remote code execution and expose administrator credentials until sites upgrade to version 5.7 and lock down access.
Executive briefing: CISA’s ICSA-20-196-01 advisory shows that multiple SQL injection and command-injection paths in Advantech iView let unauthenticated attackers execute arbitrary code, crash the service, and even pull administrator passwords in clear text until sites upgrade to the fixed release.
Immediate actions for OT and network teams
- Upgrade to iView 5.7. CISA notes Advantech has shipped version 5.7 to remediate the reported flaws; schedule change windows to deploy it across all management servers.
- Isolate the management interface. Remove internet exposure, require VPN or bastion-host access, and restrict inbound traffic to trusted administration segments.
- Audit for credential theft and tampering. Rotate administrator and service passwords and review database tables and config files for unauthorized modifications created through SQL injection.
Strategic follow-through
- Add database-layer monitoring. Enable query logging to detect attacker-controlled SQL strings targeting the iView backend.
- Harden change control. Require signed packages and checksum verification for future iView upgrades to prevent adversaries from uploading rogue firmware through the update workflow.
- Validate segmentation. Keep iView and associated collectors on isolated VLANs with egress controls to prevent lateral movement after a compromise.
Source excerpts
Primary — impact of chained flaws: “Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to read/modify information, execute arbitrary code, limit system availability, and/or crash the application.”
CISA ICSA-20-196-01 (Advantech iView)
Primary — credential exposure: “Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may allow an attacker to obtain the information of the user table, including the administrator credentials in plain text.”
CISA ICSA-20-196-01 (Advantech iView)
Primary — vendor fix: “Advantech has released version 5.7 of iView to address the reported vulnerabilities.”
CISA ICSA-20-196-01 (Advantech iView)