CVE-2012-3035 in DeltaV
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Emerson DeltaV 9.3.1 and 10.3 through 11.3.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a long string to an unspecified port.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3035 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting Emerson DeltaV industrial control systems version 9.3.1 and 10.3 through 11.3.1. This issue resides within the communication protocols of the DeltaV system, which is widely deployed in process automation environments for managing industrial processes in chemical, pharmaceutical, and other manufacturing sectors. The vulnerability manifests when the system receives a specially crafted long string input through an unspecified network port, leading to a daemon crash that results in service disruption. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The affected DeltaV versions operate within critical infrastructure environments where availability is paramount, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology security.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow occurs when an attacker sends a malformed string payload to a network port that the DeltaV daemon listens on for communication. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the system's network handling code, where the software fails to properly check the length of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers. This allows an attacker to exceed the allocated buffer space and overwrite critical program memory, causing the daemon process to terminate unexpectedly. The unspecified port aspect of the vulnerability suggests that multiple communication channels may be affected, increasing the attack surface and making it more difficult to defend against. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, as it represents a remote code execution vector that can be leveraged to compromise system availability. The attack requires no authentication and can be executed from remote locations, making it particularly dangerous in industrial environments where network segmentation may be limited.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the DeltaV system serves as a critical component in process control and automation within industrial facilities. When the daemon crashes, it can lead to complete loss of communication with the control system, potentially causing production shutdowns, safety system failures, or process disruptions that could result in significant financial losses and safety hazards. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target these systems from outside the facility's network perimeter, making traditional network security controls insufficient for protection. In environments where DeltaV systems are connected to enterprise networks or the internet, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for industrial espionage and sabotage attacks. The affected versions span multiple release lines, indicating a widespread issue that would require extensive patch management efforts across industrial installations. Organizations relying on these systems must consider the potential for cascading failures if multiple daemons crash simultaneously, as the control system's redundancy mechanisms may not be sufficient to maintain continuous operation during such an attack.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3035 should focus on both immediate protective measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate DeltaV systems from general enterprise networks, utilizing firewalls and network access controls to restrict communication to only necessary endpoints. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the vendor-provided patches or updates that address the buffer overflow vulnerability in the affected DeltaV versions. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can monitor for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify other potential vulnerabilities in industrial control systems, as the ATT&CK framework emphasizes that industrial environments often lack the security maturity of traditional enterprise systems. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect daemon crashes or restarts that could indicate exploitation, and incident response procedures should be established specifically for industrial control system security events. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence for industrial control systems and implementing zero-trust network architectures that assume compromise and continuously verify access rights.