CVE-2017-9627 in Wonderware ArchestrA Logger
Summary
by MITRE
An Uncontrolled Resource Consumption issue was discovered in Schneider Electric Wonderware ArchestrA Logger, versions 2017.426.2307.1 and prior. The uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability could allow an attacker to exhaust the memory resources of the machine, causing a denial of service.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9627 represents a critical resource exhaustion flaw within Schneider Electric Wonderware ArchestrA Logger software, specifically affecting versions up to and including 2017.426.2307.1. This issue manifests as an uncontrolled resource consumption problem that fundamentally compromises the system's ability to maintain operational stability and availability. The affected software operates within industrial control systems and monitoring environments where continuous operation is paramount for process automation and data logging functions. The vulnerability resides in the application's failure to properly manage memory allocation and resource utilization during normal operational procedures, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt service availability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate resource management within the ArchestrA Logger application's memory handling mechanisms. When processing certain data inputs or during routine logging operations, the software fails to implement proper bounds checking or resource limiting controls that would normally prevent excessive memory consumption. This flaw allows an attacker to craft specific inputs or trigger conditions that cause the application to continuously allocate memory resources without proper cleanup or termination mechanisms. The root cause aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes uncontrolled resource consumption as a weakness that enables denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion. The vulnerability operates at the application level where memory management routines do not adequately validate input parameters or implement sufficient resource constraints to prevent malicious exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise entire industrial control systems that rely on Wonderware ArchestrA Logger for process monitoring and data collection. When an attacker successfully exhausts memory resources, the affected system may become unresponsive, crash, or require manual intervention to restore normal operations. This disruption can have cascading effects on production processes, data integrity, and overall system reliability within industrial environments where continuous operation is essential. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, specifically targeting the system's ability to provide services to authorized users. Organizations utilizing this software in critical infrastructure environments face significant risk of operational disruption, potential production downtime, and increased maintenance costs associated with system recovery and security remediation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9627 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions that address the resource management deficiencies within the ArchestrA Logger application. Organizations must implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable systems to untrusted networks or users. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of application whitelisting and runtime protection mechanisms can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to resource exhaustion and denial of service, specifically covering tactics such as T1499 for network denial of service and T1070 for indicator removal. System administrators should also consider implementing automated memory monitoring tools and establishing incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle resource exhaustion attacks. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper resource management in industrial control systems and the need for comprehensive security testing of operational technology environments.