CVE-2011-0406 in KingView
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in HistorySvr.exe in WellinTech KingView 6.53 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long request to TCP port 777.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0406 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw in HistorySvr.exe component of WellinTech KingView 6.53 industrial automation software. This vulnerability exists within the network service that listens on TCP port 777, making it accessible to remote attackers without authentication. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the software's history server module, which fails to properly bounds-check incoming data before processing it into allocated heap memory regions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker sends a specially crafted malformed request containing excessive data to the listening TCP port 777. The HistorySvr.exe process receives this request and attempts to store the oversized data payload into a pre-allocated heap buffer without proper boundary checks. This overflow condition allows the attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program state information, function pointers, or return addresses. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a heap-based buffer overflow, which is a common and dangerous class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to industrial control systems and SCADA environments where WellinTech KingView is deployed. The remote code execution capability means that attackers can potentially gain complete control over the affected system, enabling them to manipulate industrial processes, exfiltrate sensitive operational data, or establish persistent backdoors for future attacks. The vulnerability affects systems in critical infrastructure sectors including manufacturing, energy, and water treatment facilities where KingView is commonly used for human machine interface and data logging functions. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication and can be exploited from any network location, making it an attractive target for both nation-state actors and cybercriminal organizations targeting industrial espionage and operational disruption.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches or updates that address the memory management flaw in HistorySvr.exe. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to TCP port 777, limiting exposure to only authorized internal systems. Regular security assessments and network monitoring should be conducted to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also implement intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection for known patterns associated with this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 as "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1059 as "Command and Scripting Interpreter," highlighting the potential for attackers to leverage this flaw for persistent access and lateral movement within industrial networks. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls to prevent unauthorized execution of vulnerable components and maintain regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar memory corruption issues in other industrial control system applications.