Security News > 2020 > April > Vulnerabilities in B&R Automation Software Facilitate Attacks on ICS Networks
Several vulnerabilities found by researchers in B&R Automation's Automation Studio software make it easier for malicious actors to launch attacks inside operational technology networks.
"The combination of these two vulnerabilities gives an attacker with access to the victim network the ability to conduct an MITM attack and intervene in the software update process," Preminger explained.
The expert added, "This attack is based on hijacking a domain, which becomes much easier if the attacker has gained access to a closed ICS network, where often there are no DNS servers to respond to the client, and Windows will fallback to local discovery protocols which are easier to deceive."
Preminger has described a scenario where an attacker with access to a network hosting Automation Studio can perform a DNS poisoning attack aimed at engineering machines while pretending to be the B&R update server.
"Once the attacker gains a foothold in the ICS network, they can use a variety of targeted ICS vulnerabilities to attack programmable logic controllers and other critical equipment in the ICS network," Preminger said.