CVE-2022-33320 in ICONICS GENESIS64
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2022
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric GENESIS64 versions 10.97 to 10.97.1, Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions GENESIS64 versions 10.97 to 10.97.1, Mitsubishi Electric ICONICS Suite versions 10.97 to 10.97.1, Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions ICONICS Suite versions 10.97 to 10.97.1, and Mitsubishi Electric MC Works64 versions 4.04E and prior allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute an arbitrary malicious code by leading a user to load a project configuration file including malicious XML codes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical deserialization flaw in Mitsubishi Electric's industrial automation software ecosystem, specifically affecting multiple products including GENESIS64, ICONICS Suite, and MC Works64 within versions 10.97 through 10.97.1 and 4.04E respectively. The vulnerability manifests as a deserialization of untrusted data issue that falls under CWE-502, which is a well-documented weakness in software security where applications deserialize data from untrusted sources without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw exists in the way these industrial control systems process project configuration files that contain XML data structures, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can craft specially crafted files designed to exploit the deserialization process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an unauthenticated attacker crafts a malicious XML payload that, when loaded by a vulnerable system, triggers arbitrary code execution within the context of the target application. This represents a severe privilege escalation vector since the attack requires no authentication credentials and can be delivered through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails or compromised websites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in industrial environments where these systems control critical infrastructure and process automation, as the successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and potential physical security breaches. The attack chain typically involves the victim opening or loading a malicious project configuration file that contains serialized objects with embedded malicious code, which then executes when the software attempts to deserialize the data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and availability of industrial control systems that are critical to manufacturing, process control, and automation environments. In environments where these systems are deployed, the exploitation could result in production disruption, data corruption, unauthorized access to operational parameters, or even physical damage to equipment through manipulation of control signals. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Mitsubishi Electric products creates a widespread risk across industrial automation networks, as attackers can leverage a single exploit across different software components within the same organization's infrastructure. Organizations using these products face significant risk of supply chain attacks, where malicious actors compromise legitimate software distribution channels to deliver the malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems, with the vendor releasing security updates that implement proper input validation and sanitization of XML deserialization processes. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate critical industrial control systems from general network access, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious XML file loading activities, and establish strict file access controls to prevent unauthorized modification of project configuration files. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments across their industrial control network to identify all potentially affected systems and implement proper application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code. The remediation process must follow established cybersecurity frameworks such as those recommended by NIST SP 800-80 and ISO 27001, ensuring that the mitigation measures align with industry best practices for protecting industrial control systems. Organizations should also consider implementing automated threat hunting processes to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain detailed audit logs of all configuration file access and modification activities to support incident response efforts.