CVE-2016-8377 in PLC WinProladder
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Fatek Automation PLC WinProladder Version 3.11 Build 14701. A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists when the software application connects to a malicious server, resulting in a stack buffer overflow. This causes an exploitable Structured Exception Handler (SEH) overwrite condition that may allow remote code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8377 resides within Fatek Automation PLC WinProladder Version 3.11 Build 14701, a software application designed for programmable logic controller programming and automation tasks. This particular flaw represents a critical security weakness that directly impacts industrial control systems and automation environments where such software is deployed. The vulnerability manifests when the application establishes connections to external servers, creating a potential attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise the targeted systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability constitutes a stack-based buffer overflow condition that occurs during network communication processing within the WinProladder application. When connecting to a malicious server, the software fails to properly validate input data lengths, allowing an attacker to overflow the allocated stack buffer space. This overflow specifically targets the Structured Exception Handler (SEH) chain, which is a critical component of windows exception handling mechanisms. The overwrite of the SEH frame creates an exploitable condition where malicious code can be injected and executed within the context of the running application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution capabilities, as it directly threatens the integrity and availability of industrial automation systems. In industrial control environments, such vulnerabilities can lead to complete system compromise, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate production processes, access sensitive operational data, or disrupt critical infrastructure operations. The nature of PLC programming software makes these systems particularly vulnerable since they often operate in isolated networks but may still require connectivity for updates or configuration management.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflow conditions where data written to stack memory exceeds the allocated buffer size. The exploitation technique leverages the SEH overwrite mechanism, a well-documented attack pattern that has been extensively catalogued in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter. The vulnerability represents a significant concern for operational technology environments where industrial control systems may not receive the same level of security updates as traditional enterprise systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to prevent unauthorized access to PLC programming environments, application whitelisting to restrict execution of untrusted code, and mandatory security updates from the vendor. The affected version should be upgraded to the latest available build that addresses this specific buffer overflow condition. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on connections to unknown or unauthorized servers. Regular security assessments of industrial control system environments are essential to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.