CVE-2023-37555 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-2023-37553, CVE-2023-37554 and CVE-2023-37556.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-37555 affects multiple versions of Codesys products and represents a critical denial-of-service condition that emerges from improper handling of network communication requests within the CmpAppBP component. This flaw manifests specifically after successful authentication, indicating that attackers must first establish valid credentials before exploiting the vulnerability, which aligns with common attack patterns where initial access is followed by privilege escalation or exploitation of authenticated sessions. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with memory safety issues and improper input validation, making it particularly concerning for industrial control systems where reliability and continuous operation are paramount.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves crafted network communication requests that contain inconsistent content, which triggers the CmpAppBP component to attempt reading from an invalid memory address. This type of flaw typically stems from buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or improper bounds checking within the application's network processing logic. The component's failure to properly validate or sanitize incoming network data creates a pathway for malicious actors to cause the application to access memory locations that are either unmapped, protected, or otherwise inaccessible, leading to system instability or complete service interruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to industrial environments where Codesys products are commonly deployed for automation and control systems. The denial-of-service condition can result in complete system unavailability, potentially affecting critical infrastructure operations, manufacturing processes, or industrial control networks. The fact that this vulnerability requires authentication suggests that it may be exploited by insider threats or compromised legitimate users, making it particularly dangerous in environments where privileged access is granted to multiple users. Network-based attacks could potentially be amplified through relay or proxy mechanisms, extending the attack surface beyond the initial compromised session.
The vulnerability's distinction from related CVEs CVE-2023-37552 through CVE-2023-37556 indicates that it represents a unique code path or component within the Codesys ecosystem, which suggests that the affected CmpAppBP component has specific memory management or input processing characteristics that differ from other components in the product suite. This differentiation aligns with CWE categories related to memory safety issues and improper input validation, specifically CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions and CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and denial-of-service attacks, particularly the T1499.004 sub-technique for network denial-of-service and T1078.004 for valid accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-37555 should focus on immediate patching of affected Codesys versions, implementing network segmentation to limit access to authenticated components, and establishing robust monitoring for unusual network communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional access controls and privilege management to limit the potential impact of compromised accounts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in industrial control systems and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of network communication components, particularly those handling authenticated sessions and external data processing. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should prioritize identification and remediation of similar memory safety issues within industrial automation software ecosystems.