CVE-2012-1816 in DeltaV Workstation
Summary
by MITRE
PORTSERV.exe in Emerson DeltaV and DeltaV Workstations 9.3.1, 10.3.1, 11.3, and 11.3.1 and DeltaV ProEssentials Scientific Graph 5.0.0.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a crafted (1) TCP or (2) UDP packet to port 111.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1816 affects PORTSERV.exe component within Emerson DeltaV and DeltaV Workstations software versions 9.3.1, 10.3.1, 11.3, and 11.3.1 along with DeltaV ProEssentials Scientific Graph 5.0.0.6. This represents a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited remotely by attackers to crash the targeted daemon processes. The vulnerability specifically targets port 111 which is traditionally used for the Sun RPC portmapper service, making it a significant concern for industrial control systems that rely on these communication protocols. The flaw exists in the packet processing logic of the PORTSERV.exe application which fails to properly validate incoming network traffic before attempting to process it.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the network packet handling routines of the PORTSERV.exe service. Attackers can craft specially malformed TCP or UDP packets that, when sent to port 111, trigger buffer overflow conditions or improper state handling within the application. This allows the malicious packets to cause the daemon process to terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a complete service disruption. The vulnerability manifests as a daemon crash that can be triggered through either TCP or UDP protocols, providing attackers with multiple attack vectors and increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions that occur when insufficient bounds checking is performed on buffer operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1816 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential safety and operational risks within industrial environments. When the PORTSERV.exe daemon crashes, it can lead to loss of communication between critical system components, potentially affecting process control and monitoring capabilities. In industrial control systems, such disruptions can result in production halts, safety system failures, or data integrity issues that may require manual intervention to restore normal operations. The vulnerability affects systems that utilize the Sun RPC protocol stack, which is commonly found in legacy industrial control environments where network infrastructure has not been modernized. This makes the attack surface particularly concerning for critical infrastructure sectors that depend on these specific Emerson DeltaV implementations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate protective measures and long-term architectural improvements. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to restrict access to port 111 from untrusted networks, while firewall rules can be configured to drop suspicious packets before they reach the vulnerable service. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the vendor-provided patches or updates that address the input validation issues within PORTSERV.exe. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on anomalous packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to service stoppage and denial of service operations, making it important for security teams to monitor for such activities as part of their threat hunting efforts. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar unpatched components within industrial control system environments, as this type of flaw often indicates broader security weaknesses in legacy industrial protocols and implementations.