CVE-2013-6142 in ClearSCADA
Summary
by MITRE
DNP3Driver.exe in the DNP3 driver in Schneider Electric ClearSCADA 2010 R2 through 2010 R3.1 and SCADA Expert ClearSCADA 2013 R1 through 2013 R1.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via IP packets containing errors that trigger event-journal messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-6142 affects the DNP3 driver component within Schneider Electric ClearSCADA software versions ranging from 2010 R2 through 2010 R3.1 and SCADA Expert ClearSCADA 2013 R1 through 2013 R1.2. This issue represents a significant security weakness in industrial control systems that could be exploited to disrupt critical infrastructure operations. The vulnerability specifically resides in the DNP3Driver.exe executable which processes DNP3 protocol communications, a standard communication protocol widely used in industrial automation and control systems. The flaw manifests when the software receives malformed IP packets containing protocol errors that trigger the generation of event-journal messages, leading to resource exhaustion and system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the DNP3 protocol processing layer of the ClearSCADA system. When malformed IP packets are transmitted to the affected system, the DNP3 driver fails to properly validate the packet structure and content before processing. This deficiency causes the system to generate excessive event-journal messages in response to each malformed packet, consuming system resources such as memory and processing power. The event-journal mechanism, designed for logging operational events and system activities, becomes overwhelmed with repetitive error messages that are generated continuously, effectively consuming all available resources and resulting in a denial of service condition. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient input validation, and represents a classic example of resource exhaustion attacks that can be executed remotely without authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-6142 poses serious risks to industrial control environments where ClearSCADA systems are deployed. Organizations relying on these systems for critical infrastructure operations such as power generation, water treatment, and manufacturing processes face potential operational disruptions that could lead to significant financial losses and safety hazards. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for systems with limited network segmentation. The denial of service condition can render the SCADA system unable to process legitimate control commands, potentially causing cascading failures in industrial processes. This vulnerability also provides a potential entry point for more sophisticated attacks, as the system's resource exhaustion could mask other malicious activities or create opportunities for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-6142 should focus on both immediate protective measures and long-term system hardening approaches. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of affected ClearSCADA systems to untrusted networks, following the principle of least privilege as recommended in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for industrial control systems. Network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to filter and monitor DNP3 protocol traffic, particularly focusing on identifying and blocking malformed packets that could trigger the vulnerable behavior. The most effective long-term solution involves applying the vendor-supplied security patches and updates that address the input validation issues in the DNP3 driver component. Additionally, system administrators should monitor event-journal logs for unusual patterns of error messages and implement automated alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other industrial control system components, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar resource exhaustion attacks.