CVE-2022-30694 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting Siemens SIMATIC Drive Controller CPU 1504D TF devices running firmware versions prior to V2.9.7. The vulnerability arises because the login endpoint (/FormLogin) in the affected web services does not implement proper origin checking mechanisms. This lack of validation allows an authenticated remote attacker to craft malicious web requests that can be executed in the context of another logged-in user without their consent or knowledge. Specifically, an attacker could exploit this flaw to perform login CSRF attacks, potentially tracking or manipulating the activities of other users by forcing them to unknowingly authenticate with attacker-controlled credentials or sessions. Although this vulnerability does not directly allow remote code execution or privilege escalation, it undermines session integrity and user authentication processes, which are critical for secure operation of industrial control systems. The affected product, Siemens SIMATIC Drive Controller CPU 1504D TF, is a component commonly used in industrial automation environments to control drive systems. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on November 8, 2022, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild to date. Siemens has addressed this issue in firmware version 2.9.7 and later, but versions prior to this remain vulnerable. The weakness is classified under CWE-352, indicating a failure to implement anti-CSRF tokens or equivalent protections on sensitive endpoints. Given the industrial context, exploitation could lead to unauthorized session manipulation, potentially impacting operational monitoring and control activities.

For European organizations, particularly those in manufacturing, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors that utilize Siemens SIMATIC Drive Controller CPU 1504D TF devices, this vulnerability poses a risk to the integrity and confidentiality of user sessions managing industrial drives. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to hijack or track user sessions, potentially leading to unauthorized control commands or surveillance of operational activities. While the vulnerability does not directly cause system downtime or physical damage, the ability to manipulate authentication sessions could be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks or espionage. This is especially concerning in environments where multiple users access control interfaces remotely or via web portals. The impact is heightened in sectors with stringent regulatory requirements for operational security and data protection, such as energy grids and manufacturing plants. Additionally, compromised session integrity could disrupt audit trails and accountability, complicating incident response and forensic investigations. Although no active exploitation has been reported, the presence of this vulnerability in widely deployed industrial controllers in Europe necessitates prompt remediation to avoid potential targeted attacks or insider threats exploiting this weakness.

1. Upgrade all Siemens SIMATIC Drive Controller CPU 1504D TF devices to firmware version 2.9.7 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed by implementing proper origin checks and anti-CSRF protections on the /FormLogin endpoint. 2. Implement network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general IT networks and restrict access to the web management interfaces to trusted hosts only. 3. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) or reverse proxies capable of detecting and blocking CSRF attack patterns targeting the login endpoint. 4. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accessing device management interfaces to reduce the risk of session hijacking even if CSRF attacks succeed. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on web interfaces of industrial devices to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities proactively. 6. Educate operational technology (OT) personnel about the risks of CSRF and the importance of not interacting with untrusted web content while logged into control system interfaces. 7. Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual login patterns or repeated login requests that may indicate attempted CSRF exploitation. 8. Where possible, disable web-based management interfaces if not required or restrict their usage to secure out-of-band management channels.