CVE-2022-24310: Uncovering a Critical Integer Overflow Vulnerability in Interactive Graphical SCADA System Data Server

In this blog post, we are going to analyze and discuss a newly discovered and unpublished vulnerability in the Interactive Graphical SCADA System Data Server. This vulnerability has been assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2022-24310 and is classified as a CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound issue.

This critical vulnerability exists within the Data Server component of the Interactive Graphical SCADA System and has been found to affect versions V15...22020 and prior. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can cause a heap-based buffer overflow, leading to denial of service and potentially allowing remote code execution. This can result in significant damage to the target system and potential loss of control over critical infrastructure.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability stems from improper handling of specially crafted messages sent to the Data Server by a malicious attacker. Specifically, when the server receives a sequence of these messages, it can trigger an integer overflow, resulting in a buffer overflow on the heap memory. Consequently, this can cause the server to crash or, worse, allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

Here's a simplified code snippet illustrating the issue

void process_message(char *msg, int msg_len) {
  int buffer_len = msg_len * 4;
  char *buffer = (char *) malloc(buffer_len);

  for (int i = ; i < msg_len; i++) {
    buffer[i * 4] = msg[i];
    buffer[i * 4 + 1] = '.';
    buffer[i * 4 + 2] = '/';
    buffer[i * 4 + 3] = 'A';
  }

  process(buffer);
  free(buffer);
}

In the above code snippet, the buffer_len variable is calculated by multiplying the msg_len by 4. However, when an attacker sends multiple specially crafted messages with a large msg_len value, this multiplication can cause integer overflow, resulting in a much smaller buffer_len. Consequently, the subsequent loop iterating over the msg array can lead to out-of-bounds writes and heap buffer overflow.

Mitigation and Recommendations

The software vendor has been informed about this vulnerability, and they have released a patch for the affected versions. It is highly recommended that users of the Interactive Graphical SCADA System Data Server immediately upgrade to the patched version to eliminate the risk posed by this vulnerability.

In the meanwhile, users can apply the following best practices to reduce their potential exposure

1. Restrict network access to the Data Server, allowing only trusted IP addresses and authorized personnel to communicate with the server.
2. Implement proper input validation on the server-side, ensuring that only properly formatted messages are processed.

Original References

To learn more about this vulnerability and its potential impact, please refer to the following resources:

1. Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) - CVE-2022-24310
2. Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) - CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound

Stay vigilant and keep your systems protected and up-to-date. We continuously monitor the cybersecurity landscape to ensure you remain informed about the latest threats, vulnerabilities, and best practices for safeguarding your systems and networks. Follow our blog for further updates and analysis on critical security issues like this one.

Timeline

Published on: 02/09/2022 23:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 02/17/2022 02:28:00 UTC