CVE-2014-0987 in WebAccess
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Advantech WebAccess (formerly BroadWin WebAccess) 7.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the NodeName2 parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0987 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within Advantech WebAccess version 7.2, formerly known as BroadWin WebAccess. This industrial automation and SCADA software platform is widely deployed in critical infrastructure environments for monitoring and control systems. The vulnerability specifically resides in the handling of the NodeName2 parameter, which is processed during communication protocols within the web access interface. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and bounds checking when processing user-supplied data in memory allocation contexts, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers without authentication requirements.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a stack-based buffer overflow condition that allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations in the program's execution stack. When the NodeName2 parameter exceeds the allocated buffer size, the excess data overflows into adjacent stack memory regions, potentially corrupting return addresses, function pointers, or other critical control data. This memory corruption enables attackers to redirect program execution flow and inject malicious code into the target system. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which is a well-documented and severe class of memory safety issues that has been extensively analyzed in cybersecurity literature and represents one of the most common attack vectors in software exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly within industrial control environments where Advantech WebAccess systems are deployed, including manufacturing facilities, power generation plants, and water treatment systems. Remote code execution capabilities provide attackers with full control over affected systems, potentially leading to unauthorized access to critical industrial processes, data manipulation, system disruption, or even physical damage to operational equipment. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can leverage this flaw from external networks without requiring physical access or local credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network segmentation is insufficient or where industrial systems are directly exposed to internet-facing services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0987 should include immediate application of vendor patches and updates to the Advantech WebAccess software, as well as network-level protections through firewall rules that restrict access to the affected services. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate industrial control systems from general enterprise networks, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts, and conduct thorough security assessments of their industrial automation environments. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures across multiple security domains. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies and regular security monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this class of vulnerabilities.