CVE-2015-6458 in SoftCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Moxa SoftCMS 1.3 and prior is susceptible to a buffer overflow condition that may crash or allow remote code execution. Moxa released SoftCMS version 1.4 on June 1, 2015, to address the vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6458 affects Moxa SoftCMS version 1.3 and earlier, representing a critical buffer overflow flaw that exposes systems to potential remote code execution or system crashes. This issue specifically impacts Moxa's SoftCMS software, which is designed for industrial communication and network management purposes, making it particularly concerning for operational technology environments where reliability and security are paramount. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the software's processing routines, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to affected systems.
The technical flaw manifests as a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs when the software fails to properly validate the length of input data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This weakness allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and enabling arbitrary code execution. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions that occur when insufficient bounds checking is performed on data copied to a stack-based buffer. The attack vector is particularly dangerous as it requires no authentication, making it accessible to remote threat actors who can exploit the flaw from outside the network perimeter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and persistent access to affected networks. Industrial environments that rely on Moxa SoftCMS for communication management are particularly at risk, as these systems often control critical infrastructure components and may lack traditional security controls found in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target systems without requiring physical access or network credentials, potentially enabling large-scale attacks against industrial control systems. Organizations using affected versions of SoftCMS face significant risk of data breaches, system downtime, and potential safety hazards in environments where industrial processes depend on reliable network communications.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Moxa SoftCMS version 1.4, which was specifically released to address this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive vulnerability scanning to identify all affected systems and proper change management procedures to ensure successful deployment without disrupting critical industrial operations. Security teams should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of affected systems and monitor for suspicious network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns consistent with buffer overflow exploitation attempts, as well as maintaining robust backup and recovery procedures to address potential system compromise. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) highlights the need for comprehensive endpoint protection measures and regular security assessments of industrial control systems.