Complicated malware targets US critical infrastructures
By MYBRANDBOOK
The Department of Energy (DOE), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are warning the US energy sector that certain APT (advanced persistent threat) threat actors have revealed the capability to gain full system access to multiple industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) devices.
Several Schneider Electric MODICON and MODICON Nano PLCs (programmable logic controls), including TM251, TM241, M258, M238, LMC058 and LMC078, are impacted. The threat actor tool targeting those devices has modules that interact via normal management protocols and Modbus protocols, allowing attackers to:
· Rapidly scan a local network for all Schneider PLCs
· Brute-force PLCs passwords using CODESYS and other available device protocols against defaults or dictionary word list
· Conduct denial of service attack to prevent PLCs from being reached
· Interrupt connections, requiring users to re-authenticate on PLC, likely to facilitate the capture of valid credentials
· Crash the PLC until a power cycle and configuration recovery is conducted
· Send custom Modbus commands (which can also work against Modbus devices besides Schneider Electric PLCs)
The affected OMRON devices are OMRON Sysmac NJ and NX PLCs, including NEX NX1P2, NX-SL3300, NX-ECC203, NJ501-1300, S8VK and R88D-1SN10F-ECT. The threat actor tool targeting those devices have modules allowing attackers to:
· Scan for OMRON using the FINS (factory interface network service) protocol
· Parse HTTP response from OMRON devices
· Retrieve media access control (MAC) address of devices
· Poll for specific devices connected to PLCs
· Back-up/restore arbitrary files to/from PLCs
· Load a custom malicious agent on OMRON PLCs for additional attack operations (do file manipulations, make packet captures or execute code).
A report mentioned in the advisory, refers to a likely state-sponsored attacking tool dubbed Incontroller (aka Pipedream), built to target automation devices. Incontroller comprises three elements targeting all the devices reported in the security advisory. Each tool might be used separately, but it is also possible that all the tools would be used to attack a single environment.
Incontroller attack scenarios could lead to operational disruption of activities, leading to delayed production, financial losses and complex facility startup procedures; sabotage of industrial processes, resulting in defective products or malfunctioning machine behavior; physical destruction of the industrial machinery, impacting human safety and the environment and damage to equipment.
Pipedream malware is targeted to equipment in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and electric power environments, but could easily adapt and compromise and disrupt a broader set of targets. The joint advisory from US government agencies have suggested mitigations to this threat.
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