# CVE-2024-28133: PHOENIX CONTACT: Privilege escalation in CHARX Series

> A local low-privileged attacker can exploit an untrusted search path in a CHARX system utility to gain root privileges on PHOENIX CONTACT devices.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 May 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j4qc-xg6g-j9fh

## What is CVE-2024-28133?

CVE-2024-28133 is a high-severity vulnerability in PHOENIX CONTACT CHARX SEC-3000, published on 14 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A local low privileged attacker can use an untrusted search path in a CHARX system utility to gain root
privileges.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-28133?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Phoenixcontact Charx Sec-3000 Firmware, Phoenixcontact Charx Sec-3050 Firmware, Phoenixcontact Charx Sec-3100 Firmware, Phoenixcontact Charx Sec-3150 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-28133?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-28133 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-28133 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-28133 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in PHOENIX CONTACT CHARX SEC-3000

- [CVE-2025-25270](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-25270/): Remote Code Execution via Unauthenticated Configuration Manipulation (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-25995](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-25995/): PHOENIX CONTACT: Remote code execution in CHARX Series (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-25268](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-25268/): Unauthenticated Configuration Access via Exposed API Endpoint (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-25271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-25271/): OCPP Backend Configuration via Insecure Defaults (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-26288](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26288/): PHOENIX CONTACT: Lack of SSL support in CHARX Series (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-28133 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-28133 is a high-severity vulnerability in PHOENIX CONTACT CHARX SEC-3000, published on 14 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-28133 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PHOENIX CONTACT CHARX SEC-3000. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28133/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28133/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-28133
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-28133
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-28133

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28133/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.