CVE-2020-5603 in Engineering Software
Summary
by MITRE
Uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electoric FA Engineering Software (CPU Module Logging Configuration Tool Ver. 1.94Y and earlier, CW Configurator Ver. 1.010L and earlier, EM Software Development Kit (EM Configurator) Ver. 1.010L and earlier, GT Designer3 (GOT2000) Ver. 1.221F and earlier, GX LogViewer Ver. 1.96A and earlier, GX Works2 Ver. 1.586L and earlier, GX Works3 Ver. 1.058L and earlier, M_CommDTM-HART Ver. 1.00A, M_CommDTM-IO-Link Ver. 1.02C and earlier, MELFA-Works Ver. 4.3 and earlier, MELSEC-L Flexible High-Speed I/O Control Module Configuration Tool Ver.1.004E and earlier, MELSOFT FieldDeviceConfigurator Ver. 1.03D and earlier, MELSOFT iQ AppPortal Ver. 1.11M and earlier, MELSOFT Navigator Ver. 2.58L and earlier, MI Configurator Ver. 1.003D and earlier, Motion Control Setting Ver. 1.005F and earlier, MR Configurator2 Ver. 1.72A and earlier, MT Works2 Ver. 1.156N and earlier, RT ToolBox2 Ver. 3.72A and earlier, and RT ToolBox3 Ver. 1.50C and earlier) allows an attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical uncontrolled resource consumption flaw affecting multiple Mitsubishi Electric industrial automation and engineering software products across their FA Engineering Software suite. The vulnerability exists in versions up to and including specific releases of CPU Module Logging Configuration Tool, CW Configurator, EM Software Development Kit, GT Designer3, GX LogViewer, GX Works2, GX Works3, and numerous other specialized tools used in industrial control systems. The flaw enables attackers to exploit unspecified vectors that lead to denial of service conditions, effectively rendering the affected software applications unavailable to legitimate users. This represents a significant security concern for industrial environments where continuous operation is critical for production processes and safety systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of resource exhaustion attacks, where malicious actors can consume excessive system resources such as memory, CPU cycles, or file handles through carefully crafted inputs or operations within the affected software applications. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be triggered through various means including malformed input data, excessive network requests, or improper handling of specific configuration parameters within the software interfaces. This type of vulnerability is classified as a resource consumption flaw that can lead to system instability and complete application failure, making it particularly dangerous in industrial control environments where software reliability directly impacts operational safety and productivity.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for manufacturing and industrial automation environments where these Mitsubishi tools are extensively deployed. The denial of service conditions can disrupt critical production workflows, prevent engineers from accessing configuration tools, and potentially impact the overall stability of industrial control systems. In safety-critical applications, such as those found in automotive manufacturing, chemical processing, or power generation facilities, the ability to cause DoS conditions through resource exhaustion could lead to production halts, safety system failures, or emergency shutdowns. The vulnerability affects a broad range of software tools used throughout the engineering and configuration lifecycle of Mitsubishi industrial automation systems, amplifying its potential impact across entire industrial networks.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of industrial control system security frameworks and attack patterns that target operational technology environments. The vulnerability aligns with attack techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the resource consumption category, specifically targeting system performance degradation and availability disruption. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including software version updates from Mitsubishi Electric, network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, and monitoring for unusual resource consumption patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining updated industrial software ecosystems and implementing proper change management processes for critical engineering tools. Compliance with standards such as IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 should be considered when addressing this vulnerability within industrial environments, as these frameworks provide guidance for securing industrial control systems against such resource exhaustion attacks.
The affected software products represent a comprehensive suite of engineering and configuration tools used in Mitsubishi's industrial automation ecosystem, with versions spanning multiple years and covering various functional domains including PLC programming, HMI configuration, motion control, and field device communication. This widespread impact across the product line indicates a fundamental flaw in the resource management and input validation mechanisms of these industrial tools. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in securing industrial control system software, where the need for operational stability and security often creates complex trade-offs. Organizations should prioritize patch management for these specific software versions while also considering broader industrial cybersecurity strategies that address the unique requirements of operational technology environments. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining security hygiene in industrial settings where traditional IT security approaches may not be sufficient to address the specific attack surface presented by industrial control system software.