CVE-2019-18995 in PB610 Panel Builder 600
Summary
by MITRE
The HMISimulator component of ABB PB610 Panel Builder 600 versions 2.8.0.424 and earlier fails to validate the content-length field for HTTP requests, exposing HMISimulator to denial of service via crafted HTTP requests manipulating the content-length setting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/15/2024
The CVE-2019-18995 vulnerability resides within the HMISimulator component of ABB PB610 Panel Builder 600 software, specifically affecting versions 2.8.0.424 and earlier. This issue represents a critical security flaw in industrial control systems that operates at the application layer of network communications. The vulnerability manifests when the HMISimulator fails to properly validate the content-length field in HTTP requests, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt system operations. The affected component serves as a human machine interface simulator within industrial automation environments, making it a potential target for attackers seeking to compromise operational technology infrastructure. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of industrial control systems, particularly those utilizing ABB's Panel Builder 600 platform for configuration and simulation purposes.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation within the HTTP request processing mechanism of the HMISimulator component. When an HTTP request is received, the system should verify that the content-length field accurately reflects the actual data payload size. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate this field to contain values that differ significantly from the actual content size. This discrepancy can cause the system to allocate incorrect amounts of memory or process data in unexpected ways, potentially leading to resource exhaustion or application crashes. The improper validation creates a path for denial of service attacks where an attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests that exploit the content-length field manipulation to consume system resources or cause the simulator to become unresponsive. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically addressing improper validation of length fields in input processing. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks targeting industrial control systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-18995 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the availability of critical industrial simulation environments. When exploited, the vulnerability can render the HMISimulator component unusable, preventing engineers and operators from conducting necessary simulations and testing procedures for industrial control systems. This disruption can cascade into broader operational issues, particularly in manufacturing and process control environments where simulation testing is essential for system validation and safety protocols. The vulnerability affects the reliability of industrial automation workflows and can potentially delay production schedules or compromise system testing procedures. Organizations utilizing ABB PB610 Panel Builder 600 in critical infrastructure applications face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it can be exploited to create service interruptions that impact operational continuity. The attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in network-connected industrial environments where such systems are often exposed to external networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-18995 should focus on immediate software updates and network segmentation measures to protect industrial control systems from exploitation. The primary solution involves upgrading to ABB PB610 Panel Builder 600 versions that address this vulnerability, as provided by the vendor through official security patches. Organizations should implement network access controls to limit exposure of the affected component to only trusted internal networks, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Additional defensive measures include implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous HTTP request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, and configuring intrusion detection systems to alert on malformed content-length fields. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in industrial control system software and underscores the need for robust security practices in operational technology environments. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their industrial control systems to identify similar issues in other components, as this type of input validation flaw can potentially exist in other parts of the industrial automation stack. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be established and maintained for all industrial control system components to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated software in controlled environments before deployment to ensure that security fixes do not introduce new operational issues within critical industrial processes.