CVE-2018-16196 in CENTUM CS 3000
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple Yokogawa products that contain Vnet/IP Open Communication Driver (CENTUM CS 3000(R3.05.00 - R3.09.50), CENTUM CS 3000 Entry Class(R3.05.00 - R3.09.50), CENTUM VP(R4.01.00 - R6.03.10), CENTUM VP Entry Class(R4.01.00 - R6.03.10), Exaopc(R3.10.00 - R3.75.00), PRM(R2.06.00 - R3.31.00), ProSafe-RS(R1.02.00 - R4.02.00), FAST/TOOLS(R9.02.00 - R10.02.00), B/M9000 VP(R6.03.01 - R8.01.90)) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service attack that may result in stopping Vnet/IP Open Communication Driver's communication via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16196 affects multiple Yokogawa products that incorporate the Vnet/IP Open Communication Driver component, including various versions of CENTUM CS 3000, CENTUM VP, Exaopc, PRM, ProSafe-RS, and FAST/TOOLS systems. This issue represents a significant security concern within industrial control systems and process automation environments where these products are deployed. The affected systems operate in critical infrastructure sectors including manufacturing, oil and gas, power generation, and other industrial facilities where uninterrupted operation is paramount for safety and operational continuity.
The technical flaw manifests as an unspecified vector that enables remote attackers to trigger a denial of service condition within the Vnet/IP Open Communication Driver functionality. This driver serves as a communication interface between Yokogawa's industrial control systems and external networks, facilitating data exchange and system monitoring. The vulnerability allows adversaries to disrupt the communication pathways that are essential for maintaining system operation, potentially leading to complete cessation of Vnet/IP Open Communication Driver functionality. This represents a critical weakness in the network security posture of affected industrial environments, as it provides an attack surface that can be exploited from remote locations without requiring physical access or elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the integrity of industrial control processes and potentially lead to cascading failures within connected systems. When the Vnet/IP Open Communication Driver stops functioning, it can prevent operators from accessing critical system data, monitoring process variables, or executing control commands through the communication interface. This disruption can result in production halts, safety system malfunctions, or the inability to respond to emergency conditions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where these systems are part of larger automation networks, as the denial of service can propagate through interconnected systems and potentially impact overall plant operations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 which addresses unspecified denial of service conditions, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can target these systems from outside the operational network perimeter, potentially through internet-facing interfaces or compromised network connections. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate critical industrial control systems from general network access, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual communication patterns, and establish robust patch management processes to address this vulnerability. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect abnormal behavior in communication protocols that could indicate exploitation attempts, and system administrators should maintain detailed operational procedures for restoring communication services in case of successful attacks.
The affected product lines represent a substantial portion of Yokogawa's industrial automation portfolio, making this vulnerability particularly widespread across various industrial sectors. The vulnerability's presence in both high-end and entry-level versions of these products indicates that organizations across different operational scales and budgets may be at risk. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments across their industrial control system environments to identify all instances of affected software versions, and implement network access controls to limit exposure to unauthorized remote access attempts. The remediation process should include careful planning to minimize disruption to ongoing operations while ensuring that all affected systems receive appropriate security updates from Yokogawa.