CVE-2022-1965 in CODESYS
Summary
by MITRE • 06/24/2022
Multiple products of CODESYS implement a improper error handling. A low privilege remote attacker may craft a request, which is not properly processed by the error handling. In consequence, the file referenced by the request could be deleted. User interaction is not required.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1965 represents a critical improper error handling flaw within multiple CODESYS products that enables remote exploitation without user interaction. This weakness stems from inadequate validation and processing of malformed requests within the software's error handling mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized file deletion operations. The vulnerability affects CODESYS, a widely used industrial automation software platform that serves as a foundation for programmable logic controllers and industrial control systems across various sectors including manufacturing, energy, and process control industries.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-707, improper error handling, which specifically addresses situations where applications fail to properly handle error conditions that could lead to security consequences. When a remote attacker sends a crafted request that triggers an error condition, the system's error handling routine fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters, allowing malicious file deletion operations to occur. This improper error handling creates a scenario where the application's normal execution flow is disrupted, but instead of gracefully handling the error, the system inadvertently processes the malformed input as a legitimate command, resulting in unauthorized file removal.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file deletion, as it represents a significant threat to industrial control systems that rely on CODESYS for critical operations. In industrial environments, unauthorized deletion of configuration files, firmware components, or operational data could lead to system downtime, production losses, and potentially safety hazards. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter without requiring physical access or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for industrial networks that may have limited security monitoring capabilities. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1485, "Data Destruction", and T1071.004, "Application Layer Protocol: DNS", as attackers could leverage DNS-related requests to trigger the file deletion functionality.
Organizations utilizing CODESYS products should immediately implement mitigation strategies including network segmentation to isolate critical industrial control systems, deployment of network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous request patterns, and application-level firewalls to filter potentially malicious requests. The vendor should provide a security patch that implements proper input validation and error handling procedures, ensuring that all requests undergo thorough sanitization before processing. Additionally, system administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all CODESYS installations within their network infrastructure and implement logging mechanisms to monitor file access and modification activities. Regular security updates and patch management procedures should be enforced to maintain system integrity and prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.