VDE-2021-020

Vulnerability from csaf_phoenixcontactgmbhcokg - Published: 2021-06-23 11:10 - Updated: 2025-05-14 12:28
Summary
PHOENIX CONTACT: Security Advisory for Automation Worx Software Suite
Notes
Summary: Manipulated PC Worx or Config+ projects could lead to a remote code execution when unallocated memory is freed because of incompletely initialized data (CWE-824). The attacker needs to get access to an original bus configuration file (*.bcp) to be able to manipulate data inside. After manipulation the attacker needs to exchange the original file by the manipulated one on the application programming workstation.
Impact: Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities. Automated systems in operation which were programmed with one of the above-mentioned products are not affected.
Mitigation: We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email.
Remediation: With the next version of Automationworx Software Suite the affected data will be initialized completely and thereby freeing of unallocated memory will be prevented.
CVE-2021-33542

Phoenix Contact Classic Automation Worx Software Suite in Version 1.87 and below is affected by a remote code execution vulnerability. Manipulated PC Worx or Config+ projects could lead to a remote code execution when unallocated memory is freed because of incompletely initialized data. The attacker needs to get access to an original bus configuration file (*.bcp) to be able to manipulate data inside. After manipulation the attacker needs to exchange the original file by the manipulated one on the application programming workstation. Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities. Automated systems in operation which were programmed with one of the above-mentioned products are not affected.

7 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE-824 - Access of Uninitialized Pointer
Mitigation We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email.
Vendor Fix With the next version of Automationworx Software Suite the affected data will be initialized completely and thereby freeing of unallocated memory will be prevented.
References
Acknowledgments
CERT@VDE certvde.com
PRL Francis Provencher
Zero Day Initiative
To clipboard 

{
  "document": {
    "acknowledgments": [
      {
        "organization": "CERT@VDE",
        "summary": "coordination",
        "urls": [
          "https://certvde.com"
        ]
      },
      {
        "names": [
          "Francis Provencher"
        ],
        "organization": "PRL",
        "summary": "discovered"
      },
      {
        "organization": "Zero Day Initiative",
        "summary": "reported"
      }
    ],
    "category": "csaf_security_advisory",
    "csaf_version": "2.0",
    "distribution": {
      "tlp": {
        "label": "WHITE",
        "url": "https://www.first.org/tlp/"
      }
    },
    "lang": "en-US",
    "notes": [
      {
        "category": "summary",
        "text": "Manipulated PC Worx or Config+ projects could lead to a remote code execution when unallocated memory is freed because of incompletely initialized data (CWE-824).\nThe attacker needs to get access to an original bus configuration file (*.bcp) to be able to manipulate data inside. After manipulation the attacker needs to exchange the original file by the manipulated one on the application programming workstation.",
        "title": "Summary"
      },
      {
        "category": "description",
        "text": "Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities.\nAutomated systems in operation which were programmed with one of the above-mentioned products are not affected.",
        "title": "Impact"
      },
      {
        "category": "description",
        "text": "We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email.",
        "title": "Mitigation"
      },
      {
        "category": "description",
        "text": "With the next version of Automationworx Software Suite the affected data will be initialized completely and thereby freeing of unallocated memory will be prevented.",
        "title": "Remediation"
      }
    ],
    "publisher": {
      "category": "vendor",
      "contact_details": "psirt@phoenixcontact.com",
      "name": "Phoenix Contact GmbH \u0026 Co. KG",
      "namespace": "https://phoenixcontact.com/psirt"
    },
    "references": [
      {
        "category": "external",
        "summary": "PHOENIX CONTACT advisory overview at CERT@VDE",
        "url": "https://certvde.com/en/advisories/vendor/phoenixcontact/"
      },
      {
        "category": "self",
        "summary": "VDE-2021-020: PHOENIX CONTACT: Security Advisory for Automation Worx Software Suite - HTML",
        "url": "https://certvde.com/en/advisories/VDE-2021-020"
      },
      {
        "category": "self",
        "summary": "VDE-2021-020: PHOENIX CONTACT: Security Advisory for Automation Worx Software Suite - CSAF",
        "url": "https://phoenixcontact.csaf-tp.certvde.com/.well-known/csaf/white/2021/vde-2021-020.json"
      }
    ],
    "title": "PHOENIX CONTACT: Security Advisory for Automation Worx Software Suite",
    "tracking": {
      "aliases": [
        "VDE-2021-020"
      ],
      "current_release_date": "2025-05-14T12:28:19.000Z",
      "generator": {
        "date": "2025-02-10T08:31:55.760Z",
        "engine": {
          "name": "Secvisogram",
          "version": "2.5.18"
        }
      },
      "id": "VDE-2021-020",
      "initial_release_date": "2021-06-23T11:10:00.000Z",
      "revision_history": [
        {
          "date": "2021-06-23T11:10:00.000Z",
          "number": "1",
          "summary": "Initial revision."
        },
        {
          "date": "2025-02-10T09:00:00.000Z",
          "number": "2",
          "summary": "Update: Provider data has been corrected"
        },
        {
          "date": "2025-05-14T12:28:19.000Z",
          "number": "3",
          "summary": "Fix: version space, added distribution"
        }
      ],
      "status": "final",
      "version": "3"
    }
  },
  "product_tree": {
    "branches": [
      {
        "branches": [
          {
            "branches": [
              {
                "branches": [
                  {
                    "category": "product_version_range",
                    "name": "\u003c=1.87",
                    "product": {
                      "name": "Config + \u003c=1.87",
                      "product_id": "CSAFPID-51001"
                    }
                  }
                ],
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "Config +"
              },
              {
                "branches": [
                  {
                    "category": "product_version_range",
                    "name": "\u003c=1.87",
                    "product": {
                      "name": "PC Worx \u003c=1.87",
                      "product_id": "CSAFPID-51002"
                    }
                  }
                ],
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "PC Worx"
              },
              {
                "branches": [
                  {
                    "category": "product_version_range",
                    "name": "\u003c=1.87",
                    "product": {
                      "name": "PC Worx Express \u003c=1.87",
                      "product_id": "CSAFPID-51003"
                    }
                  }
                ],
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "PC Worx Express"
              }
            ],
            "category": "product_family",
            "name": "Software"
          }
        ],
        "category": "vendor",
        "name": "PHOENIX CONTACT"
      }
    ],
    "product_groups": [
      {
        "group_id": "CSAFGID-0001",
        "product_ids": [
          "CSAFPID-51001",
          "CSAFPID-51002",
          "CSAFPID-51003"
        ],
        "summary": "Affected Products."
      }
    ]
  },
  "vulnerabilities": [
    {
      "cve": "CVE-2021-33542",
      "cwe": {
        "id": "CWE-824",
        "name": "Access of Uninitialized Pointer"
      },
      "notes": [
        {
          "category": "description",
          "text": "Phoenix Contact Classic Automation Worx Software Suite in Version 1.87 and below is affected by a remote code execution vulnerability. Manipulated PC Worx or Config+ projects could lead to a remote code execution when unallocated memory is freed because of incompletely initialized data. The attacker needs to get access to an original bus configuration file (*.bcp) to be able to manipulate data inside. After manipulation the attacker needs to exchange the original file by the manipulated one on the application programming workstation. Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities. Automated systems in operation which were programmed with one of the above-mentioned products are not affected.",
          "title": "Vulnerability Description"
        }
      ],
      "product_status": {
        "known_affected": [
          "CSAFPID-51001",
          "CSAFPID-51002",
          "CSAFPID-51003"
        ]
      },
      "remediations": [
        {
          "category": "mitigation",
          "details": "We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email.",
          "group_ids": [
            "CSAFGID-0001"
          ]
        },
        {
          "category": "vendor_fix",
          "details": "With the next version of Automationworx Software Suite the affected data will be initialized completely and thereby freeing of unallocated memory will be prevented.",
          "group_ids": [
            "CSAFGID-0001"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "scores": [
        {
          "cvss_v3": {
            "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 7,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "environmentalScore": 7,
            "environmentalSeverity": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "temporalScore": 7,
            "temporalSeverity": "HIGH",
            "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "products": [
            "CSAFPID-51001",
            "CSAFPID-51002",
            "CSAFPID-51003"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "title": "CVE-2021-33542"
    }
  ]
}


Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.




Sightings

Author Source Type Date

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.