CVE-2022-27582 is a critical password recovery vulnerability affecting the SICK SIM4000 (PPC) device, specifically part number 1078787 and firmware versions up to 1.10.1. The vulnerability arises from improper access control (CWE-306), allowing an unprivileged remote attacker to invoke the password recovery mechanism and gain access to a user level defined as RecoverableUserLevel. This escalation of privileges enables the attacker to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without any authentication or user interaction, making it highly exploitable. The firmware optionally allows disabling device configuration over network interfaces, but this is not enabled by default, increasing exposure. Although a fix is planned, no patch has been scheduled or released yet. The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 reflects the critical nature of this vulnerability, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The SICK SIM4000 is an industrial sensor device commonly used in automation and manufacturing environments, where unauthorized access could lead to operational disruptions or data breaches. The vulnerability’s repeatable exploitation potential increases the risk of targeted attacks or automated exploitation attempts once details become widely known.

For European organizations, especially those in industrial automation, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Compromise of the SIM4000 device could allow attackers to manipulate sensor data, disrupt automated processes, or gain a foothold into broader industrial control systems (ICS) networks. This can lead to operational downtime, safety hazards, and potential data exfiltration. Given the critical nature of manufacturing and industrial sectors in Europe, exploitation could have cascading effects on supply chains and production lines. Additionally, the breach of confidentiality and integrity could undermine trust in industrial automation systems and lead to regulatory and compliance issues under frameworks such as GDPR and NIS Directive. The lack of an available patch increases the urgency for organizations to implement compensating controls to mitigate risk until a fix is released.

1. Immediately review and restrict network access to the SIM4000 devices, ideally isolating them in segmented networks with strict firewall rules limiting access to trusted management stations only. 2. Disable device configuration over network interfaces if this option is available and not already disabled, to reduce the attack surface. 3. Implement network monitoring and anomaly detection focused on unusual access patterns or password recovery mechanism invocations on SIM4000 devices. 4. Employ strong network-level authentication and VPNs for remote access to industrial devices to prevent unauthorized access attempts. 5. Maintain an asset inventory to identify all SIM4000 devices and their firmware versions to prioritize risk assessment. 6. Engage with the device vendor or authorized support channels to obtain updates on patch availability and apply fixes promptly once released. 7. Consider deploying intrusion prevention systems (IPS) with signatures or heuristics to detect exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. 8. Train operational technology (OT) security teams on this vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include scenarios involving SIM4000 compromise.