CVE-2022-1737 in EtherNet-IP Adapter Development Kit
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2022
Pyramid Solutions' affected products, the Developer and DLL kits for EtherNet/IP Adapter and EtherNet/IP Scanner, are vulnerable to an out-of-bounds write, which may allow an unauthorized attacker to send a specially crafted packet that may result in a denial-of-service condition.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1737 affects Pyramid Solutions' EtherNet/IP Adapter and EtherNet/IP Scanner products, specifically their Developer and DLL kits. This issue represents a critical security flaw that stems from improper input validation within the network communication protocols. The affected systems process EtherNet/IP packets that are transmitted over Ethernet networks, which are commonly used in industrial control systems and automation environments where reliability and security are paramount. The vulnerability manifests when the software receives specially crafted network packets that exceed expected buffer boundaries, creating an out-of-bounds write condition that can be exploited by remote attackers without authentication requirements.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write conditions in software systems. When an attacker sends malformed EtherNet/IP packets to the vulnerable devices, the software fails to properly validate packet sizes and content before processing them, leading to memory corruption. This memory corruption occurs when the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated buffer space, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including critical program variables, function pointers, or return addresses. The out-of-bounds write can be triggered through various packet structures that exploit the lack of proper bounds checking in the network protocol handling code, making the attack surface particularly broad as it can be initiated through normal network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial-of-service conditions, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors within industrial environments. When the out-of-bounds write occurs, it typically results in application crashes or system instability, leading to service disruption that can affect production processes in manufacturing or critical infrastructure settings. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can initiate the attack from external network positions without requiring physical access to the affected systems. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploitation of remote services, and represents a significant concern for operational technology environments where network segmentation may be inadequate. The denial-of-service condition can persist until the affected system is manually restarted or the software is patched, potentially causing extended downtime in mission-critical applications.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations while preparing for permanent fixes through official patches from Pyramid Solutions. Network segmentation strategies should be reinforced to limit access to EtherNet/IP devices, and access controls should be tightened to restrict network communication to only necessary endpoints. The implementation of network intrusion detection systems can help identify suspicious packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual EtherNet/IP packet structures. Security monitoring should include regular checks for system stability and uptime, as sudden service interruptions may indicate exploitation. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their industrial control systems to identify other potential targets within their network infrastructure that may share similar vulnerabilities, particularly those using the same or related network protocols. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in industrial communication systems, emphasizing the need for regular security audits of critical infrastructure software components.