CVE-2024-8175 in Control for BeagleBone SL
Summary
by MITRE • 09/25/2024
An unauthenticated remote attacker can causes the CODESYS web server to access invalid memory which results in a DoS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-8175 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the CODESYS web server implementation that can be exploited by unauthenticated remote attackers. This flaw resides in the web server component of the CODESYS software platform, which is widely used for industrial automation and embedded systems development. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the web server's handling of incoming requests, specifically when processing certain HTTP requests that trigger invalid memory access patterns.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability can be classified under CWE-125 as "Out-of-bounds Read" or potentially CWE-476 as "NULL Pointer Dereference" depending on the specific implementation details. When an attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable CODESYS web server, the server fails to properly validate the incoming data before attempting to process it, leading to memory access violations. This occurs because the web server component does not adequately sanitize or bounds-check the parameters received from network requests, allowing malicious input to traverse into memory regions that should not be accessible. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it does not require authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker with network connectivity to the affected system.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-8175 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise industrial control systems and embedded automation environments where CODESYS web servers are deployed. In industrial settings, such as manufacturing plants, energy infrastructure, or critical facilities, a successful exploitation can result in complete service unavailability, potentially leading to production halts, safety system failures, or operational downtime that can cost organizations significantly in terms of both financial losses and potential safety risks. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on CODESYS for web-based configuration, monitoring, or administrative access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where continuous operation is critical. The attack surface is further expanded due to the nature of web servers being accessible over network interfaces, meaning that attackers can potentially exploit this vulnerability from external networks without requiring physical access or prior authentication credentials.
Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation through official vendor patches released for CODESYS software versions affected by this vulnerability, as recommended by the CERT/CC advisory and other cybersecurity authorities. Network segmentation strategies should be implemented to isolate affected CODESYS web servers from critical operational networks, while implementing firewall rules to restrict access to these services only to authorized personnel and systems. Additional protective measures include deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify anomalous HTTP request patterns, implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests, and conducting comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Endpoint Denial of Service" and potentially T1595.001 for "Network Denial of Service" in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, highlighting its classification as a service disruption attack that can be leveraged in broader cyber warfare or industrial sabotage scenarios. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any additional unpatched instances of CODESYS web servers within the organization's infrastructure, particularly in operational technology environments where such systems are commonly deployed.