CVE-2018-14814 in PI Studio HMI
Summary
by MITRE
WECON Technology PI Studio HMI versions 4.1.9 and prior and PI Studio versions 4.2.34 and prior lacks proper validation of user-supplied data, which may result in a read past the end of an allocated object.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14814 affects WECON Technology PI Studio HMI and PI Studio software versions 4.1.9 and earlier, as well as PI Studio versions 4.2.34 and earlier. This represents a critical security flaw that stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the software architecture. The affected systems are commonly deployed in industrial environments where human machine interfaces facilitate critical operations and process control. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly validate user-supplied data inputs, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit memory access patterns through carefully crafted inputs.
This specific flaw constitutes a classic buffer over-read condition that falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which describes out-of-bounds read errors in memory management. The technical implementation involves the software's failure to verify the length or content of data provided by users before processing it within allocated memory buffers. When legitimate user inputs exceed expected boundaries or contain malformed data structures, the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the intended object boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data or causing application instability. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of memory safety and input validation, where proper bounds checking mechanisms are either absent or insufficiently implemented.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly within industrial control systems and SCADA environments where these HMI platforms operate. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to memory contents, potentially extracting sensitive operational data, configuration parameters, or system information that could aid in subsequent attacks. The read past the end of allocated object condition may also lead to application crashes or unexpected behavior that could disrupt critical industrial processes. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.001 tactic for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers might leverage such memory access flaws to extract information or establish persistent access to industrial control systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by WECON Technology, as well as implementing additional defensive measures such as input sanitization at multiple layers of the application architecture. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit exposure of these systems to untrusted networks. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that monitor for anomalous data patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in industrial control systems, where the consequences of security flaws can extend beyond traditional information technology environments into physical system safety and operational continuity concerns.