CVE-2018-11691
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedEmerson DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center application, available in versions 11.3.x and 12.3.1, was unable to change the DeltaV Smart Switches’ management password upon commissioning. Emerson released patches for DeltaV workstations to address this issue, and the patches can be downloaded from Emerson’s Guardian Support Portal. Please refer to the DeltaV Security Notification DSN19003 (KBA NK-1900-0808) for more information about this issue. DeltaV versions 13.3 and higher use the Network Device Command Center application to manage DeltaV Smart Switches, and this newer application is not impacted by this issue. After patching the Smart Switch Command Center, users are required to either commission the DeltaV Smart Switches or change password using the tool.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe Emerson DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center (versions 11.3.x and 12.3.1) contains a functional flaw that prevents administrators from changing the management password on DeltaV Smart Switches during commissioning. This creates a critical security gap where network devices may be deployed with default or unchanged credentials, exposing the industrial control system to unauthorized access. DeltaV version 13.3 and later use the Network Device Command Center application, which is not affected by this issue.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 09.0.12CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center installationCheck the installed programs on the workstation for 'DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center' or look for the application's executable path, typically found under the Emerson or DeltaV program directory.Affected if The application is present on the system and is version 11.3.x or 12.3.1
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Verify DeltaV versionOpen DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center and navigate to Help > About, or check the installation directory for version information in the application metadata or registry entries under HKLM\Software\Emerson\DeltaV\SmartSwitchCommandCenter.Affected if The displayed version is 11.3.x or 12.3.1 specifically (versions 13.3 and later are not affected)
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Check Ve6046 Firmware versionAccess the DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center interface and review the connected device inventory or switch firmware information. The Ve6046 firmware version is typically displayed in the device properties or status panel for each managed switch.Affected if The Ve6046 firmware version is exactly 09.0.12
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Confirm Network Device Command Center is not in useCheck whether the newer 'Network Device Command Center' application is installed and in use instead of DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center. This can be verified by examining installed programs or the available Emerson applications on the workstation.Affected if DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center (versions 11.3.x or 12.3.1) is actively used for switch management, and Network Device Command Center is not installed as the replacement
You are affected if DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center version 11.3.x or 12.3.1 is installed and actively used for managing Ve6046 switches with firmware 09.0.12, rather than the patched Network Device Command Center application.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedApply the Emerson patches for DeltaV workstations (referenced in DSN19003/KBA NK-1900-0808) available through the Guardian Support Portal, then either commission affected DeltaV Smart Switches or use the patched tool to change management passwords.
DeltaV version 13.3 or higher (which uses the unaffected Network Device Command Center application for managing DeltaV Smart Switches)
- Obtain the patch from Emerson's Guardian Support Portal by referencing DeltaV Security Notification DSN19003 (KBA NK-1900-0808)
- Apply the patch to the affected DeltaV workstations running DeltaV Smart Switch Command Center versions 11.3.x or 12.3.1
- After patching, either commission the DeltaV Smart Switches or use the patched tool to change the management password
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-11691 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-11691 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data