CVE-2014-5397 in Wonderware Information Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Schneider Electric Wonderware Information Server (WIS) Portal 4.0 SP1 through 5.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2025
The CVE-2014-5397 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Schneider Electric Wonderware Information Server (WIS) Portal versions 4.0 SP1 through 5.5. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically manifests as an insecure input handling issue that permits malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the affected system. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input data that flows into the web application's response without proper validation or encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified attack vectors that likely involve manipulation of input parameters, cookies, or headers that are processed by the WIS Portal application. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in industrial control systems environments where the WIS Portal serves as a critical interface for accessing and managing operational data, making it an attractive target for sophisticated adversaries seeking to compromise industrial cybersecurity defenses.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple web application compromise, as it directly affects the security posture of industrial automation and control systems. Organizations utilizing Schneider Electric WIS Portal in manufacturing, energy, or process control environments face significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive operational data, potential disruption of industrial processes, and possible escalation to more severe attacks targeting the underlying industrial control systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting web-based scripting execution within the application layer.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5397 should prioritize immediate patch application from Schneider Electric, as this vulnerability has been addressed in subsequent releases of the WIS Portal software. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, following OWASP secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in industrial control system interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date industrial cybersecurity solutions and implementing robust security controls across all system components, particularly in environments where operational technology and information technology converge.