CVE-2013-0699 in Rio-47100 Plc
Summary
by MITRE
The Galil RIO-47100 Pocket PLC allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a session that includes "repeated requests."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2024
The Galil RIO-47100 Pocket PLC represents a compact industrial control device designed for embedded automation applications within manufacturing and industrial environments. This device operates as a programmable logic controller that manages various industrial processes through its network interfaces and communication protocols. The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-0699 specifically targets the device's session management mechanism, which governs how the PLC handles incoming connection requests and maintains active communication sessions with remote clients. The affected system operates under a protocol that establishes persistent connections for configuration and control operations, making it susceptible to resource exhaustion attacks that exploit the session handling architecture.
The technical flaw manifests through a specific weakness in the session management implementation where the device fails to properly validate or limit the frequency of repeated requests within a single session. When remote attackers submit multiple sequential requests to the PLC's network interface, the system processes each request individually without implementing adequate rate limiting or session validation controls. This behavior creates a condition where the device's processing resources become consumed by repetitive request handling, leading to a gradual depletion of available system resources such as memory allocation, CPU cycles, and connection slots. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack and specifically targets the protocol handling mechanisms that manage client-server communication sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the integrity of industrial control systems. When the denial of service occurs, the affected PLC becomes unresponsive to legitimate control commands and configuration updates, effectively rendering the industrial process management system inoperable. This condition can lead to production downtime, safety hazards in manufacturing environments, and potential financial losses due to extended operational interruptions. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where continuous operation is critical, as the device may require manual intervention or power cycling to restore normal functionality. Network monitoring systems may not immediately detect the attack since the behavior appears as normal traffic patterns, making the incident harder to identify and respond to promptly.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing network-level controls and application-layer protections to prevent the exploitation of the session management flaw. Network administrators should deploy rate limiting mechanisms at the firewall or network access control level to restrict the number of requests that can be processed within a given time window for each client session. The implementation of intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection capabilities can help identify and alert on patterns consistent with this specific attack vector. Additionally, device firmware updates should be applied to address the underlying session handling implementation issues, as vendors typically release patches that modify the resource allocation and request processing logic. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access control measures to limit direct exposure of industrial control devices to untrusted networks, following the principle of least privilege and reducing the attack surface. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses improper resource management, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, emphasizing the importance of proper session handling and resource limiting in industrial control systems.