CVE-2013-0682 in OPC DataHub
Summary
by MITRE
Cogent Real-Time Systems Cogent DataHub before 7.3.0, OPC DataHub before 6.4.22, Cascade DataHub before 6.4.22 on Windows, and DataHub QuickTrend before 7.3.0 do not properly handle exceptions, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via malformed data in a formatted text command, leading to out-of-bounds access to (1) heap or (2) stack memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0682 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple data acquisition and industrial automation products from Cogent Real-Time Systems. This vulnerability manifests in several software components including Cogent DataHub versions prior to 7.3.0, OPC DataHub versions before 6.4.22, Cascade DataHub versions before 6.4.22 on Windows platforms, and DataHub QuickTrend versions before 7.3.0. The core issue lies in the improper exception handling mechanisms within these industrial control systems, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit memory access violations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and exception management within the software's command processing routines. When the affected systems receive malformed data through formatted text commands, the applications fail to properly handle the resulting exceptions, leading to unpredictable memory access patterns. This flaw specifically enables out-of-bounds memory access to both heap and stack memory regions, creating opportunities for either application crashes or more severe exploitation scenarios. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as "Out-of-bounds Read" and CWE-787 as "Out-of-bounds Write" within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, highlighting the fundamental memory safety issues present in the codebase.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly within industrial environments where these systems operate. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to perform denial of service attacks that could disrupt critical industrial processes, potentially causing production halts or operational failures in manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure sectors. The possibility of arbitrary code execution adds another dimension of risk, as attackers could potentially gain unauthorized control over industrial control systems, leading to data manipulation, process interference, or even physical safety hazards in critical infrastructure environments. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for "Network Denial of Service" and potentially T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" if attackers leverage the system for further exploitation.
Organizations utilizing these affected systems should prioritize immediate remediation through official vendor updates and patches. The recommended mitigation strategy includes upgrading to the patched versions specified in the vendor advisories, specifically DataHub versions 7.3.0 and OPC DataHub versions 6.4.22. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of these systems to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous command patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and exception handling mechanisms within custom applications that interface with these systems can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities in the future.