CVE-2021-22705 in Designer
Summary
by MITRE • 05/27/2021
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerability exists that could cause denial of service or unauthorized access to system information when interacting directly with a driver installed by Vijeo Designer or EcoStruxure Machine Expert
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-22705 represents a critical improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer, a flaw that falls under the CWE-121 category of buffer overflow conditions. This vulnerability specifically affects systems that utilize drivers installed by Vijeo Designer or EcoStruxure Machine Expert, which are industrial automation software solutions developed by Schneider Electric. The flaw manifests when these applications interact directly with their respective device drivers, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to system information or cause denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the memory buffer operations of the affected drivers. When legitimate users or attackers interact with the driver components through the Vijeo Designer or EcoStruxure Machine Expert interfaces, the system fails to properly validate input parameters or buffer limits before performing memory operations. This allows for potential memory corruption scenarios where data can be written beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, leading to unpredictable behavior. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in industrial control systems where these applications are commonly deployed, as it could enable attackers to manipulate critical system functions or extract sensitive operational data.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-22705 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass potential unauthorized access to system information, making it a significant threat to industrial cybersecurity. In industrial environments, this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain insights into system configurations, operational parameters, or even manipulate control processes through the compromised driver interfaces. The attack surface is limited to systems where Vijeo Designer or EcoStruxure Machine Expert software is installed alongside their corresponding device drivers, but this represents a substantial portion of industrial automation deployments. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in production disruptions, data integrity issues, or even safety hazards in environments where industrial control systems are critical to operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected software versions, as provided by Schneider Electric through their security advisory channels. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to systems running Vijeo Designer or EcoStruxure Machine Expert applications, reducing the potential attack surface. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege separation can help limit the impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves local privilege escalation, and T1566 which covers social engineering tactics. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior in driver interactions, as the memory buffer overflow could manifest through unusual system resource consumption or unexpected process behavior. Regular security assessments of industrial control systems are essential to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other proprietary driver implementations.