CVE-2013-0670 in Wincc Tia Portal
Summary
by MITRE
CRLF injection vulnerability in the HMI web application in Siemens WinCC (TIA Portal) 11 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTTP headers and conduct HTTP response splitting attacks via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2022
The CVE-2013-0670 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting and header injection flaw within Siemens WinCC HMI web application component of the TIA Portal 11 platform. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of user-supplied input in URL parameters, creating a pathway for remote attackers to manipulate HTTP headers and execute response splitting attacks. The affected system operates within industrial control environments where Siemens WinCC serves as a supervisory control and data acquisition solution, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web application layer of the HMI interface. When users navigate to specially crafted URLs containing malicious CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed) sequences, the application fails to properly encode or filter these sequences before processing them in HTTP response headers. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTTP headers into the response, effectively splitting the HTTP response and enabling various attack vectors including session hijacking, cross-site scripting, and cache poisoning. The vulnerability exists at the application level rather than at the network protocol level, making it particularly stealthy and difficult to detect through traditional network monitoring approaches.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-0670 extends beyond simple web application compromise into the realm of industrial control system security where the stakes are significantly higher. In industrial environments, the HMI web interface often provides access to critical process controls and monitoring functions, making this vulnerability a potential gateway for more sophisticated attacks. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to manipulate control system communications, inject malicious content into user interfaces, or establish persistent access points within industrial networks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the industrial control system, potentially enabling attacks from external networks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-113: Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers, which directly relates to the improper handling of input data in HTTP response headers.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the techniques related to credential access and persistence. The vulnerability enables initial access and could facilitate further exploitation through techniques such as web shell deployment or session manipulation. The attack chain typically begins with reconnaissance to identify vulnerable systems, followed by crafting malicious URLs containing CRLF sequences, and concluding with exploitation to inject headers and manipulate HTTP responses. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general corporate networks, deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CRLF sequences, and ensure regular patching of Siemens WinCC components. Additionally, monitoring for unusual HTTP header patterns and implementing proper input validation controls can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in industrial software development and the need for comprehensive security testing of control system applications before deployment in operational environments.