CVE-2022-47384 in Control
Summary
by MITRE • 05/15/2023
An authenticated remote attacker may use a stack based out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the CmpTraceMgr Component of multiple CODESYS products in multiple versions to write data into the stack which can lead to a denial-of-service condition, memory overwriting, or remote code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-47384 represents a critical stack-based out-of-bounds write flaw within the CmpTraceMgr component of various CODESYS products. This security weakness affects multiple versions of the CODESYS software suite, which is widely deployed in industrial automation and embedded systems environments. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the component responsible for trace management operations. Attackers must first establish authentication credentials to exploit this flaw, making it an authenticated remote code execution vulnerability that targets the underlying memory structure of the affected applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a stack-based buffer overflow condition that occurs when the CmpTraceMgr component processes malformed input data. This flaw allows an attacker to write data beyond the allocated stack buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses, function pointers, and other critical program state information. The out-of-bounds write operation can be leveraged to manipulate program execution flow, leading to unpredictable behavior that may result in denial-of-service conditions, memory corruption, or full remote code execution capabilities. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in industrial control systems where CODESYS is commonly deployed for supervisory control and data acquisition applications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to industrial environments that rely on CODESYS for automation and control systems. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers who have gained legitimate access to system credentials can leverage this flaw to escalate privileges or compromise system integrity. The potential for remote code execution makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in network-connected industrial environments where untrusted users may have legitimate access to system interfaces. Organizations utilizing CODESYS products in critical infrastructure applications face heightened risk of system compromise, operational disruption, and potential safety hazards in environments where automation systems control physical processes.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow classification and its potential mapping to ATT&CK techniques such as T1059 for command and scripting interpreter execution. The vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and defense evasion categories, particularly when considering the potential for attackers to use this flaw to maintain persistent access to compromised systems. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected CODESYS versions, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to authenticated interfaces, and enhanced monitoring for suspicious trace management activities. Organizations should also consider implementing additional access controls, regular security assessments, and incident response procedures to address the potential exploitation of this vulnerability in their industrial control environments.