CVE-2018-5553

VENDOR_NAME: Crestron AFFECTED_VERSION: <= 1.3384.00049.001 MITRE_TACTIC: T1190 — Exploit Public-Facing Application SHODAN_DORKS: ["Crestron DGE-100", "Crestron DM-DGE-200-C", "Crestron TS-1542-C"] CWE_ID: N/A CVSS_VECTOR: N/A POC_STATUS: None PATCH_DETAILS: 1.3384.00059.001 or higher

Executive Summary

CVE-2018-5553 affects Crestron DGE-100, DM-DGE-200-C, and TS-1542-C devices running firmware 1.3384.00049.001 and lower. The Crestron Console service, when left in its default configuration, is vulnerable to command injection that yields root-level access on the device. Enterprise security teams should treat any exposed instances as high-priority assets for immediate isolation or patching, given the CVSS 9.8 score and direct path to full device compromise.

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Crestron Console service exposed on the listed Crestron devices. With default configuration, the service accepts unauthenticated or insufficiently validated input that is passed to an underlying command interpreter. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary operating-system commands. The attack surface is the network-accessible console service itself, which runs on affected firmware versions 1.3384.00049.001 and lower. No additional authentication or input sanitization barriers are present under default settings. The resulting command injection executes with root privileges, providing complete control over the device operating system and any connected AV or control-system functions.

Exploitation Scenarios

No public PoC available; attack chain is inferred from vulnerability class.

Steps:

1. Reconnaissance/target identification: Locate exposed Crestron Console services on DGE-100, DM-DGE-200-C, or TS-1542-C devices via network scanning or Shodan queries matching the device names.
2. How the specific flaw class is triggered: Connect to the Console service on a device running firmware 1.3384.00049.001 or lower and submit input containing command separators or metacharacters.
3. Payload/execution method at the vulnerability-class level: The injected command string is passed directly to the system shell, resulting in arbitrary command execution.
4. Post-exploitation impact: Attacker obtains root-level shell access, enabling full device control, persistence, lateral movement within the AV/control network, or use of the device as an internal pivot point.

Impact Assessment

Successful exploitation grants root access on the affected Crestron device, allowing an attacker to manipulate AV/control functions, exfiltrate configuration data, or install persistent backdoors. The CVSS 9.8 score reflects the combination of network accessibility, lack of authentication requirements under default configuration, and full system compromise. Blast radius is highest in environments where these devices are internet-facing or reachable from less-trusted network segments; compromise can also affect downstream control systems managed by the device.

Detection Guidance

Sigma Rule

title: Crestron Console Command Injection Attempt
id: cve-2018-5553-console-injection
status: experimental
description: Detects suspicious command patterns targeting Crestron Console service
logsource:
  product: firewall
  service: network
detection:
  selection:
    destination.port: 23
    destination.ip|contains:
      - "Crestron"
  condition: selection
fields:
  - src_ip
  - dst_ip
  - payload
level: high

YARA Rule

rule Crestron_Console_Command_Injection_Attempt {
    meta:
        description = "Detects indicators related to CVE-2018-5553 command injection on Crestron devices"
        author = "valtersit.com"
    strings:
        $console = "Crestron Console" ascii wide
        $firmware_old = "1.3384.00049" ascii
    condition:
        $console or $firmware_old
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert tcp any any -> any 23 (msg:"Crestron Console Service Command Injection Attempt"; content:"Crestron"; flow:established,to_server; classtype:attempted-admin; sid:20185553; rev:1;)

Elastic Detection

sequence by source.ip
  [network where destination.port == 23 and destination.domain like "*Crestron*"]
  [process where process.command_line like "*;*" or process.command_line like "*&&*"]

Splunk SPL Query

index=network sourcetype=firewall dest_port=23 
| search dest_ip IN ("*DGE-100*","*DM-DGE-200-C*","*TS-1542-C*") 
| eval potential_injection=if(match(payload,"[;&|`]"), "yes", "no") 
| where potential_injection="yes"

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<group name="crestron,">
  <rule id="100553" level="12">
    <if_sid>100001</if_sid>
    <match>Crestron Console service</match>
    <description>Possible command injection targeting Crestron device (CVE-2018-5553)</description>
  </rule>
</group>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch confidence: 2/4 (CLAIMED — single source claims patch (not independently confirmed)).

1. Immediate mitigations: Restrict network access to the Crestron Console service to trusted management networks only; disable or firewall the service if not required.
2. Patch/upgrade steps: Update affected devices to firmware 1.3384.00059.001 or higher via Crestron's official product pages.
3. Long-term hardening: Implement network segmentation for all Crestron control devices, enforce least-privilege management access, and monitor firmware versions through centralized asset management.

References

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-5553 Crestron security advisory (CNA) No known threat actor campaigns or confirmed in-the-wild exploitation recorded in CISA KEV.