CVE-2015-7374 in InduSoft Web Studio
Summary
by MITRE
The Remote Agent component in Schneider Electric InduSoft Web Studio before 8.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, aka ZDI-CAN-2649.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7374 affects the Remote Agent component within Schneider Electric InduSoft Web Studio version 8.0 and earlier. This represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring authentication. The vulnerability falls under the category of remote code execution flaws, which are among the most severe types of security vulnerabilities due to their ability to allow attackers to gain complete control over affected systems from remote locations. The unspecified vectors in the original description suggest that the attack surface may encompass multiple potential entry points or methods that could be exploited by threat actors. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in industrial control systems environments where InduSoft Web Studio is commonly deployed for building automation and industrial process control applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and handling within the Remote Agent component of the InduSoft Web Studio software. The flaw likely exists in how the system processes incoming data or commands from remote connections, potentially allowing an attacker to inject malicious code that gets executed with the privileges of the running service. This could involve buffer overflow conditions, injection flaws, or other code execution vulnerabilities that are commonly found in network services and remote management components. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution issue indicates that no local access is required for exploitation, making it particularly attractive to attackers who may be targeting industrial control systems for cyber warfare or industrial espionage purposes. The weakness likely resides in the software's network protocol handling or remote procedure call implementation, which forms the foundation of the Remote Agent's functionality.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7374 extends beyond simple code execution, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and availability of industrial control systems. In environments where InduSoft Web Studio is used for critical infrastructure management, this vulnerability could enable attackers to manipulate industrial processes, cause operational disruptions, or even create safety hazards in manufacturing or energy systems. The attack could potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive process data, modification of control parameters, or complete system compromise that affects production operations. Organizations relying on these systems for operational technology infrastructure face significant risk from this vulnerability, especially in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, water treatment, and other industrial environments where continuous operation is critical. The vulnerability's presence in industrial control software makes it particularly concerning for organizations subject to regulatory compliance requirements and cybersecurity frameworks that mandate protection of critical infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7374 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-supplied updates, as this represents the most effective solution to address the underlying vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks, particularly within industrial control networks where these systems operate. The implementation of network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts through anomalous network traffic patterns associated with remote code execution attacks. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected software across their industrial control system environments and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. From a compliance perspective, organizations should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessment frameworks and may need to report it to relevant regulatory authorities depending on their industry sector. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-119 which addresses "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer" and potentially CWE-78 which covers "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command" in the context of command injection scenarios that could be relevant to the remote execution capabilities. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1059 which addresses "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as attackers would likely leverage these capabilities to establish persistent access to compromised systems.