CVE-2023-37553 in Control
Summary
by MITRE • 08/03/2023
In multiple versions of multiple Codesys products, after successful authentication as a user, specific crafted network communication requests with inconsistent content can cause the CmpAppBP component to read internally from an invalid address, potentially leading to a denial-of-service condition. This vulnerability is different to CVE-2023-37552, CVE-2023-37554, CVE-2023-37555 and CVE-2023-37556.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-37553 affects multiple versions of Codesys products and represents a critical denial-of-service condition that emerges from improper handling of network communication requests. This flaw specifically impacts the CmpAppBP component within the Codesys framework, where authenticated users can trigger system instability through carefully crafted network packets. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of a memory corruption issue that stems from inconsistent content handling during network communication processing, making it particularly dangerous in industrial control environments where system reliability is paramount. The affected products operate within the industrial automation and control systems domain, where such vulnerabilities can have cascading effects on operational technology infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the CmpAppBP component's failure to properly validate or sanitize network communication requests after successful authentication. When legitimate authenticated users send specifically crafted requests with inconsistent content, the component attempts to read from an invalid memory address, resulting in system instability. This behavior aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and represents a variant of memory safety issues that can lead to system crashes or service interruptions. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only authentication access, making it particularly concerning as it can be leveraged by insiders or compromised accounts. The component's improper memory management during network request processing creates a path where invalid pointers or buffer overruns can occur, leading to the denial-of-service condition.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to industrial control systems and automation environments where Codesys products are deployed. The denial-of-service condition can disrupt critical processes, potentially leading to production halts or safety system failures in manufacturing and industrial settings. The vulnerability's nature as a memory access issue means that successful exploitation could cause complete system crashes, requiring manual intervention and system restarts. Organizations using these products may face operational downtime, increased maintenance costs, and potential safety risks in environments where continuous operation is essential. The vulnerability's relationship to other CVEs in the same advisory series indicates a broader pattern of component-level memory management issues within the Codesys product line, suggesting that similar vulnerabilities may exist in other components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-37553 should focus on immediate patch deployment from Codesys vendors, as the vulnerability requires no special privileges beyond authentication to exploit. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure, particularly in industrial environments where the attack surface may be larger. Monitoring for unusual network communication patterns and authentication activity could help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed network requests targeting the affected CmpAppBP component. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial-of-service attacks, and may require defensive measures such as rate limiting and connection monitoring to prevent exploitation. Given the industrial control environment context, organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure rapid containment and recovery capabilities. The vulnerability's classification as a memory safety issue underscores the importance of regular security assessments and code reviews for industrial control system components to identify similar weaknesses in other parts of the software stack.