CVE-2013-2824 in CitectSCADA
Summary
by MITRE
Schneider Electric StruxureWare SCADA Expert Vijeo Citect 7.40, Vijeo Citect 7.20 through 7.30SP1, CitectSCADA 7.20 through 7.30SP1, StruxureWare PowerSCADA Expert 7.30 through 7.30SR1, and PowerLogic SCADA 7.20 through 7.20SR1 do not properly handle exceptions, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2824 affects multiple Schneider Electric SCADA products including StruxureWare SCADA Expert Vijeo Citect and related PowerSCADA solutions across several version ranges. This issue represents a classic buffer overflow or exception handling flaw that can be exploited remotely to disrupt system operations. The affected products operate within critical infrastructure environments where continuous operation is essential for industrial processes and power management systems. The vulnerability specifically manifests when these SCADA applications process malformed or crafted network packets, leading to improper exception handling mechanisms that result in system crashes or complete service unavailability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient input validation and exception handling within the network communication protocols implemented by these SCADA systems. When a remote attacker sends specially crafted packets to the affected systems, the applications fail to properly validate the incoming data structures or handle unexpected input conditions. This improper exception handling causes the applications to terminate unexpectedly or enter unstable states, resulting in denial of service conditions that can persist until manual intervention or system restart occurs. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices and lacks proper error recovery mechanisms that would allow systems to gracefully handle malformed input without crashing. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects critical infrastructure systems that require high availability and reliability. Industrial control systems in power generation, water treatment, manufacturing facilities, and other essential services can be rendered inoperable through this remote attack vector. The implications are particularly severe because SCADA systems often operate in environments where downtime can result in significant financial losses, safety hazards, or environmental impacts. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring authentication or physical access to the systems, making it a particularly dangerous threat to industrial networks. The attack surface is broad given the widespread deployment of these Schneider Electric products across various industrial sectors, potentially affecting thousands of installations worldwide.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches and updates that address the exception handling flaws in the affected software versions. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of these critical systems to untrusted networks and reduce potential attack vectors. Regular security assessments and network monitoring should be conducted to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should also implement robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize downtime in case of successful attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability relates to T1499.004 which covers "Domain or Network Denial of Service" techniques, emphasizing the importance of implementing proper input validation and error handling mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for anomalous network traffic patterns associated with SCADA protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts.