Cognex In-Sight Products Telnet-Based Service Vulnerability Allowing Unauthorized Device Management

A vulnerability exists in Cognex In-Sight Explorer and In-Sight Camera Firmware, specifically in versions 5.x up to and including 6.5.1. The issue arises from a telnet-based service exposed on port 23, which facilitates management operations like firmware upgrades and device reboots, but requires authentication. However, the service improperly allows users with protected privileges to invoke functions that modify critical device properties, such as serial interface and network settings, thereby contradicting the security model outlined in the user manual.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized modifications of device properties, such as serial interface and network settings, potentially disrupting normal device operations and management.

Remediation

Cognex advises users to transition to next-generation In-Sight Vision Suite-based systems, such as the In-Sight 2800, In-Sight 3800, or In-Sight 8900 series embedded cameras. For those using In-Sight Explorer, CISA recommends following general cybersecurity best practices for industrial control systems, such as minimizing network exposure, using firewalls, and when remote access is necessary, employing secure methods like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).