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ICSA-19-134-05 Siemens SINAMICS PERFECT HARMONY GH180 Drives NXG I and NXG II

Monitor7.5ICS-CERT ICSA-19-134-05May 14, 2019
Attack VectorNetwork
Auth RequiredNone
ComplexityLow
User InteractionNone needed
Summary

SINAMICS PERFECT HARMONY GH180 drives with NXG I and NXG II controllers (all versions with G28 option) are vulnerable to a denial-of-service attack via the Ethernet Modbus interface. An attacker can send a flood of requests to the controller, exhausting system resources and causing the drive to become unresponsive. This prevents normal motor and pump control, effectively stopping any process dependent on the drive. The vulnerability requires only network access to the Modbus port and no authentication or user interaction.

What this means
What could happen
A remote attacker can crash the GH180 drive controller by overwhelming it with requests, causing loss of motor control and potential process shutdown at any facility relying on this equipment for critical motion control.
Who's at risk
Water and wastewater treatment plants, municipal electric utilities, and any facility using Siemens SINAMICS PERFECT HARMONY GH180 drives (model codes 6SR2, 6SR3, or 6SR4 with G28 option) for motor and pump control should assess their exposure. This affects any critical process relying on continuous motor operation.
How it could be exploited
An attacker with network access to the Ethernet Modbus interface on the drive can send a large number of crafted requests to exhaust system resources (CWE-400). The vulnerability requires no authentication and can be triggered remotely, causing the controller to become unresponsive and halting normal drive operation.
Prerequisites
  • Network reachability to the Ethernet Modbus interface port (typically Modbus TCP port 502)
  • No credentials or special configuration required
  • Drive must have the G28 option installed
  • Direct path to the drive controller (not protected by a firewall or protocol bridge)
Remotely exploitableNo authentication requiredLow complexity attackNo patch currently availableAffects motor control systems critical to operationsDefault configuration is vulnerable
Exploitability
Low exploit probability (EPSS 0.4%)
Affected products (2)
2 pending
ProductAffected VersionsFix Status
SINAMICS PERFECT HARMONY GH180 with NXG I control, MLFBs: 6SR2...-, 6SR3...-, 6SR4...-6SR2...-, 6SR3...-, 6SR4...-: All Versions with option G28No fix yet
SINAMICS PERFECT HARMONY GH180 with NXG II control, MLFBs: 6SR2...-,6SR3...-, 6SR4...-6SR2...-,6SR3...-, 6SR4...-: All Versions with option G28No fix yet
Remediation & Mitigation
0/6
Do now
0/4
WORKAROUNDInstall a protocol bridge between your network and the GH180 drives to isolate and restrict direct Ethernet Modbus connections
HARDENINGApply cell protection concept and implement defense-in-depth strategy to limit exposure of drive controllers
HARDENINGPlace all GH180 drives and controllers on a dedicated control network isolated from business networks via firewall rules
HARDENINGBlock inbound access to Modbus TCP port (502) from any untrusted network segments
Schedule — requires maintenance window
0/1

Patching may require device reboot — plan for process interruption

HOTFIXContact Siemens customer service to plan and schedule an upgrade to the NXGpro control replacement
Long-term hardening
0/1
HARDENINGIf remote access to drives is required, use VPN with strong authentication and keep VPN software updated
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