CVE-2024-21916 in ControlLogix 5570
Summary
by MITRE • 01/31/2024
A denial-of-service vulnerability exists in specific Rockwell Automation ControlLogix ang GuardLogix controllers. If exploited, the product could potentially experience a major nonrecoverable fault (MNRF). The device will restart itself to recover from the MNRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-21916 represents a critical denial-of-service flaw affecting Rockwell Automation ControlLogix and GuardLogix controllers, which are widely deployed in industrial control systems and critical infrastructure environments. This vulnerability specifically targets the fundamental operational stability of these industrial devices, creating a condition where the controller can become completely non-responsive and require manual intervention or automatic restart to restore functionality. The affected systems operate within high-stakes environments where continuous operation is paramount, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology infrastructure. These controllers serve as the backbone for numerous industrial processes including manufacturing, energy production, and process control systems where downtime can result in significant financial losses and safety risks.
The technical flaw manifests as a condition that can trigger a major nonrecoverable fault within the controller's operating system, causing the device to enter a state from which it cannot recover without external intervention or automatic reboot. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of system stability failures that can be exploited through carefully crafted inputs or conditions that cause the controller's internal state management to fail catastrophically. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that these controllers are designed for continuous operation in mission-critical environments where unexpected restarts can disrupt production processes, compromise safety systems, or cause cascading failures throughout connected industrial networks. The automatic restart mechanism that follows the MNRF indicates that the system is designed to recover from such failures, but this recovery process creates operational disruption and potential safety concerns during the restart sequence.
From an operational perspective, the exploitation of this vulnerability can result in significant business disruption for organizations relying on these controllers for industrial automation and control. The automatic restart behavior creates a window of potential operational instability where the system may be temporarily unavailable or operating in an undefined state. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and reliability of industrial control systems, potentially affecting production schedules, quality control processes, and safety monitoring functions. The impact extends beyond simple downtime as the restart process may cause temporary loss of process control, data integrity issues, or the need for manual intervention to verify system state and restore normal operations. Organizations utilizing these controllers must consider the cascading effects of such failures on connected systems and the potential for extended operational disruption.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1004 which addresses insecure default settings and improper error handling in industrial control systems, and represents a significant concern from an industrial cybersecurity perspective. From the ATT&CK framework standpoint, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack campaign targeting industrial control systems with the goal of creating operational disruption and potentially establishing a foothold for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should implement robust network segmentation to limit the impact of such vulnerabilities and ensure that industrial control systems are properly isolated from general network access. Mitigation strategies should include applying vendor-provided patches, implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior, and establishing procedures for rapid response to system restart events. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security measures in industrial environments and highlights the need for comprehensive risk assessment of control system components to prevent exploitation that could lead to significant operational consequences.