CVE-2020-10615 in SCADA Data Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
Triangle MicroWorks SCADA Data Gateway 3.02.0697 through 4.0.122, 2.41.0213 through 4.0.122 allows remote attackers cause a denial-of-service condition due to a lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data, prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-10615 affects Triangle MicroWorks SCADA Data Gateway versions ranging from 3.02.0697 through 4.0.122 and 2.41.0213 through 4.0.122, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to induce denial-of-service conditions. This issue stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied data length before copying to fixed-length stack-based buffers, creating a classic buffer overflow scenario that can be exploited without authentication requirements. The affected SCADA gateway serves as a crucial component in industrial control systems, facilitating communication between various industrial devices and monitoring systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology environments.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation mechanisms that fail to check the length of data supplied by remote users before transferring it into predetermined stack-based memory buffers. When malicious data exceeds the allocated buffer size, it overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and causing system instability or complete system crashes. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory. The lack of authentication requirements makes this exploit particularly dangerous as it can be triggered by any remote user with network access to the affected system, eliminating the need for credential compromise or privileged access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as SCADA systems form the backbone of critical infrastructure operations including power generation, water treatment, and manufacturing processes. When a denial-of-service condition occurs in such systems, it can lead to complete loss of monitoring and control capabilities, potentially resulting in production halts, safety hazards, or even environmental damage. The vulnerability affects industrial environments where uptime and reliability are paramount, making the potential for remote exploitation particularly severe. According to ATT&CK framework domain T1499.004, this vulnerability could be leveraged for network denial-of-service attacks, while the broader T1499 category addresses various methods of disrupting system availability in enterprise environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from Triangle MicroWorks to address the root cause of the buffer overflow vulnerability, network segmentation to limit access to affected SCADA systems, and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector without authentication requirements necessitates comprehensive network security controls including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability assessments. Additionally, implementing proper input validation mechanisms and conducting security code reviews can help prevent similar issues in future development cycles, aligning with industry best practices for secure software development and addressing the underlying CWE-121 vulnerability pattern that this issue represents.