CVE-2023-2778 in FactoryTalk Transaction Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/14/2023
A denial-of-service vulnerability exists in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Transaction Manager. This vulnerability can be exploited by sending a modified packet to port 400. If exploited, the application could potentially crash or experience a high CPU or memory usage condition, causing intermittent application functionality issues. The application would need to be restarted to recover from the DoS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2778 represents a significant denial-of-service weakness within Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Transaction Manager, a critical component in industrial automation environments. This flaw specifically affects the application's handling of network packets transmitted to port 400, which serves as the primary communication endpoint for transaction management operations. The vulnerability exists at the protocol level where the system fails to properly validate incoming packet structures, creating an exploitable condition that can disrupt operational continuity in manufacturing and industrial control systems. The affected environment typically includes production facilities, process control systems, and automated manufacturing lines where FactoryTalk Transaction Manager facilitates data exchange between various industrial devices and control systems. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and reliability of industrial automation infrastructure, potentially causing production delays and operational disruptions that can extend beyond simple application restarts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the careful construction of malformed network packets that are sent to the designated port 400, triggering unexpected behavior within the transaction manager application. The flaw manifests as either an application crash or a condition where the system experiences excessive cpu utilization or memory consumption, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users. The underlying mechanism suggests insufficient input validation and error handling within the network packet processing routines, allowing malicious or malformed data to cause the application to consume resources abnormally or terminate unexpectedly. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as Improper Validation of Input, specifically related to inadequate validation of network packet structures and protocol handling. The vulnerability can be characterized as a resource exhaustion attack that leverages the application's failure to properly sanitize incoming network traffic, creating a condition where legitimate service requests cannot be processed due to the system's resource constraints.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-2778 extends far beyond simple service interruption, particularly in industrial environments where continuous operation is critical for production processes. When the FactoryTalk Transaction Manager becomes unresponsive or consumes excessive resources, it affects the entire transaction processing pipeline within the industrial control system, potentially causing downstream impacts on production scheduling, quality control systems, and overall plant operations. The need for application restart to recover from the DoS condition creates additional operational challenges, as this may result in data loss, process interruptions, and require manual intervention from system operators. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments following industrial security standards such as IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82, where maintaining system availability and reliability is paramount for operational continuity. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries target network services to disrupt operations, and may also relate to T1566.001 for Phishing, as the attack could potentially be initiated through network-based delivery mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-2778 should focus on both immediate protective measures and long-term architectural improvements. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to port 400, limiting the attack surface to only authorized systems and users. Access control mechanisms should be strengthened to ensure that only trusted network segments can communicate with the transaction manager service. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify anomalous packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular patch management procedures should be established to ensure timely deployment of vendor-provided security updates. The implementation of resource monitoring tools can help detect early signs of resource exhaustion before complete service disruption occurs. Organizations should also consider implementing redundant transaction processing systems and automated failover mechanisms to maintain operational continuity in case of exploitation. From a compliance perspective, addressing this vulnerability aligns with requirements in standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001, which mandate the implementation of appropriate controls to protect against denial-of-service attacks. The vulnerability's characteristics also highlight the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in industrial control system software development, as outlined in the OWASP Top 10 for industrial systems and the SANS Top 25 software weaknesses.