CVE-2016-4496 in FPWIN Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Panasonic FPWIN Pro 5.x through 7.x before 7.130 allows local users to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds write) or possibly have unspecified other impact by triggering a crafted index value, as demonstrated by an integer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2018
Panasonic FPWIN Pro is a comprehensive programming environment used for developing industrial automation applications, particularly in manufacturing and process control systems. The software serves as a critical component in programmable logic controller development, enabling engineers to create and manage complex industrial control programs. This vulnerability affects versions 5.x through 7.x before 7.130, representing a significant security concern for industrial control system environments where these tools are extensively deployed. The affected versions encompass a broad range of the software's lifecycle, indicating this flaw has persisted across multiple releases and likely affects numerous industrial installations worldwide.
The technical flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that occurs when the software processes a crafted index value, specifically demonstrating an integer overflow condition. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the software's internal data handling mechanisms. When a local user provides malicious input containing an oversized or malformed index value, the application fails to properly validate the input before using it to access memory locations. The integer overflow condition causes the application to attempt writing data beyond the allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 category of Improper Validation of Array Index, while also aligning with CWE-190 for Integer Overflow or Wraparound. The vulnerability's exploitation requires local system access, making it a local privilege escalation issue rather than a remote attack vector, though this does not diminish its potential impact on operational technology environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the unspecified other impacts could include system instability, data corruption, or even potential privilege escalation within the local environment. In industrial control system contexts, where FPWIN Pro is used for critical infrastructure management, such a vulnerability could compromise the integrity of control programs and potentially affect production processes. The out-of-bounds write condition could corrupt critical application data structures, leading to unpredictable behavior that might result in incorrect control logic execution. The denial of service aspect alone could disrupt engineering workflows and production scheduling, particularly in environments where continuous operation is critical. From an operational technology security perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk because it affects software used in critical infrastructure environments, where system reliability and security are paramount considerations. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions suggests that organizations may have been exposed to risk for extended periods without proper patching.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching to version 7.130 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the integer overflow and out-of-bounds write conditions. Organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local system access to only authorized personnel, reducing the attack surface for local exploitation. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help contain potential impacts if exploitation occurs, though the local nature of this vulnerability limits the effectiveness of network-based mitigations. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual memory access patterns and process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, though the local execution requirement means it operates more closely to T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. Regular security assessments of industrial control system environments should include verification of software patch levels and vulnerability scanning for similar issues in other operational technology applications. System hardening measures, including disabling unnecessary features and implementing least privilege principles for software execution, can reduce the overall risk exposure in environments where these tools are deployed.