CVE-2011-0488 in Web Studio
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in NTWebServer.exe in the test web service in InduSoft NTWebServer, as distributed in Advantech Studio 6.1 and InduSoft Web Studio 7.0, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a long request to TCP port 80.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0488 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the NTWebServer component of Advantech Studio 6.1 and InduSoft Web Studio 7.0 software suites. This vulnerability specifically affects the test web service functionality implemented in the NTWebServer.exe executable, which serves as a core component for web-based operations within these industrial automation platforms. The flaw manifests when the server processes incoming requests on TCP port 80, making it particularly dangerous as it targets the primary web communication port that applications typically use for HTTP traffic.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web server's request handling mechanism. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious request containing an excessively long payload, the application fails to properly bounds-check the incoming data before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the software does not adequately verify the length of incoming request data against the allocated buffer space, allowing the overflow to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation through buffer overflow attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous for industrial control systems and automation environments. When exploited, the buffer overflow can cause the NTWebServer daemon to crash and terminate unexpectedly, resulting in service disruption that could affect critical industrial processes. However, the more severe implications arise from the possibility of arbitrary code execution, which would allow attackers to gain unauthorized control over the affected system. This threat is particularly concerning in industrial settings where these web servers might be exposed to external networks or where they handle sensitive operational data, as it could lead to complete system compromise and potential safety hazards.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0488 should prioritize immediate software updates and patches from the vendors, as this vulnerability was addressed through official security releases. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks, particularly by blocking external access to TCP port 80 on systems running the vulnerable software. Additional defensive measures include implementing network access controls to restrict who can communicate with the web server and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected software within the network infrastructure. The ATT&CK framework suggests implementing process monitoring and anomaly detection to identify potential exploitation attempts, as attackers may attempt to leverage this vulnerability through reconnaissance and initial access phases of their campaigns. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should also be conducted to verify that the mitigation measures are properly implemented and effective against this specific vulnerability.