Weidmueller IE-SR-2TX-WL-4G industrial devices are vulnerable to an authentication bypass that allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized control via SMS.

The SMS control function features an insecure retry mechanism that automatically disables password authorization after five consecutive failed attempts. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this by intentionally sending five invalid passwords via SMS, subsequently gaining the ability to execute unauthorized commands on the device.

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to bypass critical security controls on industrial networking hardware. This could lead to configuration tampering, unauthorized information disclosure, and a full loss of device availability. Given the CVSS score of 8.6, this vulnerability poses a high risk to the integrity and reliability of industrial control networks.

Immediate Action: Update the firmware of affected IE-SR-2TX-WL-4G devices to version 1.74 or later as provided by Weidmueller.

Proactive Monitoring: Review device logs for suspicious SMS activity, particularly patterns of repeated failed authentication attempts.

Compensating Controls: If immediate patching is not possible, disable SMS control functionality if it is not required for operational workflows to eliminate the attack vector.

Public Exploit Available: No (exploit_available: unknown)

This vulnerability represents a significant security oversight in industrial hardware. Organizations should treat this as a high-priority update to prevent potential compromise of network infrastructure and maintain the security posture of their industrial environment.