CVE-2023-29028 in ArmorStart ST
Summary
by MITRE • 05/11/2023
A cross site scripting vulnerability was discovered in Rockwell Automation's ArmorStart ST product
that could potentially allow a malicious user with admin privileges and network access to view user data and modify the web interface. Additionally, a malicious user could potentially cause interruptions to the availability of the web page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-29028 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within Rockwell Automation's ArmorStart ST product, a cybersecurity solution designed to protect industrial control systems. This weakness specifically affects the web interface component of the software, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by sophisticated threat actors. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross site scripting as a common web application security flaw where malicious scripts are injected into trusted websites. The affected product operates within industrial environments where security is paramount, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability requires an attacker to possess administrative privileges and network access to the target system, which significantly reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely. Attackers could leverage this flaw to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions, potentially enabling them to access sensitive user data, modify web interface elements, and disrupt service availability. The attack vector typically involves injecting malicious code through input fields or parameters that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles of information security, representing a fundamental weakness in the application's defensive mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it could enable attackers to manipulate the web interface to hide malicious activities or create false data representations. The ability to cause interruptions to web page availability represents a potential denial of service condition that could affect industrial operations, particularly in environments where continuous monitoring and control are essential. This vulnerability affects the broader industrial cybersecurity landscape as it demonstrates how even specialized industrial security products can contain web application flaws that threaten operational continuity. Organizations relying on Rockwell Automation's ArmorStart ST for protecting their industrial networks face significant risks, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical operational data and potential disruption of industrial processes.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent script injection attacks. The recommended approach involves deploying web application firewalls and implementing proper content security policies to restrict script execution within the application environment. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other industrial control system components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and adherence to security standards such as those defined by the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for industrial cybersecurity. System administrators should also implement strict access controls and privilege management to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, ensuring that administrative access is restricted to authorized personnel only. Regular updates and patches from Rockwell Automation should be applied promptly to address this and similar security concerns within industrial control environments.