Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format vulnerability in ABB Zenon 8.20 allows an attacker who successfully exploit the vulnerability may add or alter data points and corresponding attributes. Once such engineering data is used the data visualization will be altered for the end user.
The storage of passwords in a recoverable format makes them subject to password reuse attacks by malicious users. In fact, it should be noted that recoverable encrypted passwords provide no significant benefit over plaintext passwords since they are subject not only to reuse by malicious attackers but also by malicious insiders. If a system administrator can recover a password directly, or use a brute force search on the available information, the administrator can use the password on other accounts.
The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.