Cybersecurity researchers from BitSight TRACE have uncovered a number of 0-day vulnerabilities in Automated Tank Gauge (ATG) programs, that are integral to managing gas storage tanks throughout varied essential infrastructures.
These vulnerabilities in six ATG programs from 5 distributors pose vital threats to public security and financial stability.
The failings may doubtlessly be exploited by malicious actors to trigger bodily injury, environmental hazards, and financial losses.
The Function of ATG Methods in Crucial Infrastructure
Computerized Tank Gauging (ATG) programs are designed to mechanically measure and document product stage, quantity, and temperature in storage tanks.
These programs are utilized in gasoline stations and are prevalent in army bases, hospitals, airports, emergency companies, and energy vegetation.
They’re essential in making certain compliance with environmental laws and optimizing stock administration. Nonetheless, their publicity to the web makes them weak targets for cyberattacks.


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Particulars of the Vulnerabilities
The investigation by BitSight TRACE recognized 11 vulnerabilities throughout a number of ATG fashions. These embrace OS command injection, authentication bypasses, hardcoded credentials, and SQL injection vulnerabilities.
Every flaw permits attackers to achieve full administrative management over the ATG programs.
The vulnerabilities have been assigned CVE identifiers with essential CVSS scores, highlighting their severity: here’s a abstract of the CVE desk knowledge associated to the vulnerabilities present in Automated Tank Gauge (ATG) programs:
These safety flaws mirror elementary design points that ought to have been addressed way back.


The exploitation of those vulnerabilities may result in extreme penalties:
- Denial of Service (DoS): Attackers may disable ATG programs by reconfiguring settings or flashing defective firmware.
- Bodily Harm: By altering essential parameters corresponding to tank geometry and capability, attackers may trigger gas leaks or disable alarms.
- Information Theft: Delicate operational knowledge could possibly be captured and bought to 3rd events.
- Community Intrusion: Susceptible ATG programs may function entry factors for additional assaults on inside networks.
These eventualities underscore the pressing want for enhanced safety measures to guard these programs from exploitation.
Coordinated Efforts for Mitigation
BitSight has been working carefully with the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company (CISA) to mitigate these vulnerabilities by accountable disclosure.
They’ve collaborated with affected distributors for six months to develop remediation methods.
CISA has revealed advisories to information organizations in securing their ATG programs in opposition to potential assaults.
The invention of those vulnerabilities highlights the essential want for improved cybersecurity practices in industrial management programs like ATGs.
These programs are integral to nationwide infrastructure, so their safety should be prioritized to forestall potential disasters. Organizations are urged to disconnect ATGs from the web and implement strong safety measures to safeguard in opposition to future threats.
Picture of an Automated Tank Gauge SystemAs the trade strikes in the direction of a “safe by design” philosophy, it’s crucial that producers and operators work collectively to deal with these vulnerabilities and defend essential infrastructure from cyber threats.
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