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Phoenix Contact: Security Advisory for CHARX-SEC3xxx Charge controllers

Plan Patch8.6VDE-2024-022Aug 13, 2024
Attack VectorNetwork
Auth RequiredNone
ComplexityLow
User InteractionNone needed
Summary

The CHARX SEC-3000, SEC-3050, SEC-3100, and SEC-3150 charge controllers contain two vulnerabilities: (1) the firewall service starts late in the boot sequence, leaving the device briefly exposed to unauthenticated network access during startup; (2) the device resets the administrator password to a default value when undergoing firmware upgrades, allowing an attacker who observes or triggers an upgrade to take control of the device. Both issues can lead to unauthorized device access and modification of charging operations.

What this means
What could happen
An attacker could exploit firewall configuration gaps during device boot to gain unauthorized access, or reset administrator credentials during a firmware upgrade, potentially allowing full control of the charge controller and the EV charging infrastructure it manages.
Who's at risk
EV charging infrastructure operators and facilities deploying Phoenix Contact CHARX SEC-3xxx charge controller series. This affects charging networks in commercial, municipal, and utility settings that rely on these controllers for power management and charging operations.
How it could be exploited
An attacker on the network could intercept the CHARX device during boot before the firewall service fully starts, allowing unfiltered access to the device. Alternatively, if an attacker can trigger or observe a firmware upgrade, they could reset the admin password to its default value and use that to access the device remotely.
Prerequisites
  • Network connectivity to the CHARX device port (IP-based access)
  • For boot-sequence exploit: ability to send traffic during device startup
  • For firmware reset exploit: ability to observe or trigger a firmware upgrade process
remotely exploitableno authentication required (boot sequence exploit)low complexityhigh CVSS score (8.6)affects EV charging infrastructure availability
Affected products (4)
4 with fix
ProductAffected VersionsFix Status
CHARX SEC-3000<1.6.31.6.3
CHARX SEC-3050<1.6.31.6.3
CHARX SEC-3100<1.6.31.6.3
CHARX SEC-3150<1.6.31.6.3
Remediation & Mitigation
0/4
Do now
0/2
WORKAROUNDRestrict network access to CHARX devices using firewall rules: block inbound access to the device management ports from untrusted networks or the internet
HARDENINGChange default administrator credentials on all CHARX devices immediately after any firmware upgrade
Schedule — requires maintenance window
0/1

Patching may require device reboot — plan for process interruption

CHARX SEC-3000
HOTFIXUpdate all CHARX SEC-3000, SEC-3050, SEC-3100, and SEC-3150 charge controllers to firmware version 1.6.3 or higher
Long-term hardening
0/1
HARDENINGPlace CHARX charge controllers on a segregated network or VLAN separate from general IT networks to limit attacker reach
View full CERT@VDE advisory
API: /api/v1/advisories/903fd8cc-3691-4340-a6b2-8d7f58420342