Metasys Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference (CVE-2020-9044)
Published Sources: CVE.org
What is affected, what to do
XXE vulnerability exists in the Metasys family of product Web Services which has the potential to facilitate DoS attacks or harvesting of ASCII server files. This affects Johnson Controls' Metasys Application and Data Server (ADS, ADS-Lite) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys Extended Application and Data Server (ADX) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys Open Data Server (ODS) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys Open Application Server (OAS) version 10.1; Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only) versions 9.0.1, 9.0.2, 9.0.3, 9.0.5, 9.0.6; Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59) versions 9.0.1, 9.0.2, 9.0.3, 9.0.5, 9.0.6; Metasys NAE85 and NIE85 versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys LonWorks Control Server (LCS) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys System Configuration Tool (SCT) versions 13.2 and prior; Metasys Smoke Control Network Automation Engine (NAE55, UL 864 UUKL/ORD-C100-13 UUKLC 10th Edition Listed) version 8.1.
The available sources name no fixed version. Check the vendor guidance in the references below.
- Affected
- Johnson Controls Metasys Application and Data Server (ADS, ADS-Lite)
eq versions 10.1 and prior..versions 10.1 and prior - Johnson Controls Metasys Extended Application and Data Server (ADX)
eq versions 10.1 and prior..versions 10.1 and prior - Johnson Controls Metasys Open Data Server (ODS)
eq versions 10.1 and prior..versions 10.1 and prior - Johnson Controls Metasys Open Application Server (OAS)
eq version 10.1..version 10.1 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only)
eq versions 9.0.1..versions 9.0.1 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only)
eq 9.0.2..9.0.2 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only)
eq 9.0.3..9.0.3 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only)
eq 9.0.5..9.0.5 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only)
eq 9.0.6..9.0.6 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59)
eq versions 9.0.1..versions 9.0.1 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59)
eq 9.0.2..9.0.2 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59)
eq 9.0.3..9.0.3 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59)
eq 9.0.5..9.0.5 - Johnson Controls Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59)
eq 9.0.6..9.0.6 - Johnson Controls Metasys NAE85 and NIE85
eq versions 10.1 and prior..versions 10.1 and prior - Johnson Controls Metasys LonWorks Control Server (LCS)
eq versions 10.1 and prior..versions 10.1 and prior - Johnson Controls Metasys System Configuration Tool (SCT)
eq versions 13.2 and prior..versions 13.2 and prior - Johnson Controls Metasys Smoke Control Network Automation Engine (NAE55, UL 864 UUKL/ORD-C100-13 UUKLC 10th Edition Listed)
eq version 8.1..version 8.1
- Johnson Controls Metasys Application and Data Server (ADS, ADS-Lite)
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Metrics
9.1
Priority
XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.
Source: NVD, CVSS v3
7.5
CVSS v3
Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.
Source: CVE.org
1.3 %
EPSS score
Moderate — model estimates 1-10% exploitation likelihood.
Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 70.0
Show all metrics
- Severity
- Critical
Priority (0–325)
The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?
Read in glossary- 76.74 Methodology
Exploit maturity
An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.
Read in glossary- no public PoC known
XIEM Effective CVSS
XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.
Read in glossary- 9.1 Methodology
CVSS v3
CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.
Read in glossary- 7.5
EPSS score
The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.
Read in glossary- 1.3 %
- Moderate — model estimates 1-10% exploitation likelihood.
EPSS percentile
The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.
Read in glossary- 70.0
- High — this CVE ranks above the median of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 36%).
KEV status
The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.
Read in glossary- —
- Published
CWE
CWE is a catalogue of typical weakness types in software and hardware — such as flawed input validation, unsafe memory handling or poor authentication. Where a CVE names a concrete vulnerability in a concrete product, a CWE describes the underlying class of defect.
Read in glossary- CWE-611
Detection rules
No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.
Classification under NIS2 and CRA
Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.
NIS2
NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.
Read in glossary- High technical severity: assess and remediate the vulnerability in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2 and document the decision.
CRA
The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.
Read in glossary- From 11.12.2027, Annex I Part II CRA requires manufacturers of affected products with digital elements to handle vulnerabilities without delay and provide security updates.
ISO/IEC 27001
ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.
Read in glossary- Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.
Description
XXE vulnerability exists in the Metasys family of product Web Services which has the potential to facilitate DoS attacks or harvesting of ASCII server files. This affects Johnson Controls' Metasys Application and Data Server (ADS, ADS-Lite) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys Extended Application and Data Server (ADX) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys Open Data Server (ODS) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys Open Application Server (OAS) version 10.1; Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only) versions 9.0.1, 9.0.2, 9.0.3, 9.0.5, 9.0.6; Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59) versions 9.0.1, 9.0.2, 9.0.3, 9.0.5, 9.0.6; Metasys NAE85 and NIE85 versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys LonWorks Control Server (LCS) versions 10.1 and prior; Metasys System Configuration Tool (SCT) versions 13.2 and prior; Metasys Smoke Control Network Automation Engine (NAE55, UL 864 UUKL/ORD-C100-13 UUKLC 10th Edition Listed) version 8.1.
Source: NVD (NIST), cvelistv5
Affected products
The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.
| Affected versions | Fixed in | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Application and Data Server (ADS, ADS-Lite) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Extended Application and Data Server (ADX) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys LonWorks Control Server (LCS) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys NAE85 and NIE85 |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Network Automation Engine (NAE55 only) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Network Integration Engine (NIE55/NIE59) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Open Application Server (OAS) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Open Data Server (ODS) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys Smoke Control Network Automation Engine (NAE55, UL 864 UUKL/ORD-C100-13 UUKLC 10th Edition Listed) |
|
|
| Johnson Controls | Metasys System Configuration Tool (SCT) |
|
|
| johnsoncontrols | metasys_application_and_data_server |
|
|
| johnsoncontrols | metasys_extended_application_and_data_server |
|
|
| johnsoncontrols | metasys_lonworks_control_server |
|
|
| johnsoncontrols | metasys_open_application_server |
|
|
| johnsoncontrols | metasys_open_data_server |
|
|
| johnsoncontrols | metasys_system_configuration_tool |
|
|
Vendors and products
Affected operating systems
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae55_firmware | 8.1 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae55_firmware | 9.0.1 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae55_firmware | 9.0.2 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae55_firmware | 9.0.3 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae55_firmware | 9.0.5 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae55_firmware | 9.0.6 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nae85_firmware | — |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie55_firmware | 9.0.1 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie55_firmware | 9.0.2 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie55_firmware | 9.0.3 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie55_firmware | 9.0.5 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie55_firmware | 9.0.6 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie59_firmware | 9.0.1 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie59_firmware | 9.0.2 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie59_firmware | 9.0.3 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie59_firmware | 9.0.5 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie59_firmware | 9.0.6 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | nie85_firmware | — |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | ord-c100-13_uuklc_firmware | 8.1 |
| Other | johnsoncontrols | ul_864_uukl_firmware | 8.1 |
Weakness classes (CWE)
CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
Base
The product processes an XML document that can contain XML entities with URIs that resolve to documents outside of the intended sphere of control, causing the product to embed incorrect documents into its output.
Entry at MITRE CWE-611
References & sources
- johnsoncontrols.comcyber-solutions/security-advisoriesx_refsource_CONFIRM, Vendor advisory
- us-cert.govICS-CERT AdvisoryThird-party advisory, x_refsource_CERT, Third-party advisory, US government resource
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<a href="https://intel.neosec.eu/en/cve/CVE-2020-9044"><img src="https://intel.neosec.eu/badge/cve/CVE-2020-9044.svg?lang=en" alt="CVE-2020-9044 – NEOSEC Intel" height="20"></a>