CVE-2014-0767 in WebAccess
Summary
by MITRE
An attacker may exploit this vulnerability by passing an overly long value from the AccessCode argument to the control. This will overflow the static stack buffer. The attacker may then execute code on the target device remotely.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0767 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within Advantech WebAccess software versions prior to 7.2. This vulnerability resides in the handling of the AccessCode argument, which serves as a critical authentication mechanism within the industrial automation and SCADA monitoring platform. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the system without requiring any authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in industrial control environments where security is paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the WebAccess application's authentication processing module. When a malicious actor submits an excessively long AccessCode argument to the system, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the software does not verify that the input length conforms to the allocated buffer size, allowing the excess data to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations including return addresses and control information. The vulnerability manifests as a direct memory corruption issue that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application process, typically running with elevated system permissions in industrial environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond typical corporate network environments given that Advantech WebAccess is widely deployed in critical infrastructure sectors including power generation, water treatment, manufacturing facilities, and transportation systems. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially gain complete control over industrial control systems, leading to unauthorized process manipulation, data exfiltration, or system disruption that could result in physical damage to equipment or safety hazards. The remote exploit capability eliminates the need for physical access to the industrial network, making it particularly attractive to threat actors targeting industrial control systems. This vulnerability directly aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack framework, where adversaries often target industrial control systems through remote code execution vulnerabilities to establish persistent access and conduct long-term operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0767 primarily involve immediate patching of affected Advantech WebAccess installations to version 7.2 or later, which includes proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general corporate networks, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious AccessCode parameter usage, and conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all industrial control system components. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a high-risk weakness in the CWE taxonomy due to its potential for arbitrary code execution. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies, monitoring for unusual authentication parameter lengths, and establishing incident response procedures specifically tailored for industrial control system security events. The attack surface for this vulnerability spans both the network perimeter and internal industrial networks, requiring comprehensive security measures that address both external threat vectors and internal access controls to prevent exploitation.