ICS Advisory

GE Proficy HMI/SCADA CIMPLICITY WebView Improper Input Validation

Last Revised
Alert Code
ICSA-13-170-01

OVERVIEW

This advisory was originally posted to the US-CERT secure Portal library on June 19, 2013, and is now being released to the ICS-CERT-Web page.

Independent researchers ZombiE and amisto0x07 have identified an improper input validation vulnerability in the GE CIMPLICITY WebView application. GE has produced an update that mitigates this vulnerability.

GE has released a security advisory (GEIP13-03) available on the GE Intelligent Platforms support Web site to inform customers about this vulnerability.

This vulnerability could be exploited remotely.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

The following GE CIMPLICITY versions are affected:

  • Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY: Version 4.01 to 8.2, and
  • Proficy Process Systems with CIMPLICITY.

IMPACT

If the vulnerability is exploited, it could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause the CIMPLICITY WebView and/or CIMPLITY built-in Web server to crash, or to run arbitrary commands on a server running the affected software, or could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the CIMPLICITY server.

An attacker can exploit the vulnerability by sending malicious messages over a TCP connection to the listening service. The attacks do not require authentication and can be conducted remotely. The vulnerable components are not enabled by default.

Impact to individual organizations depends on many factors that are unique to each organization. ICS‑CERT recommends that organizations evaluate the impact of these vulnerabilities based on their operational environment, architecture, and product implementation.

BACKGROUND

According to GE, Proficy HMI/SCADA–CIMPLICITY is a Client/Server-based human-machine interface/supervisory control and data acquisition (HMI/SCADA) application, which is deployed across multiple industries.

VULNERABILITY CHARACTERIZATION

VULNERABILITY OVERVIEW

IMPROPER INPUT VALIDATIONCWE-20: Improper Input Validation, http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/20.html, Web site last accessed July  30, 2013.

The CimWebServer does not properly validate inputted information. By sending a specially crafted packet, an attacker could crash the WebView or built-in Web server, run arbitrary commands on a server running the affected software, or take control of the server. The vulnerable CIMPLICITY built-in Web server component is not enabled by default.

CVE-2013-2785NVD, http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2013-2785, NIST uses this advisory to create the CVE Web site report. This Web site will be active sometime after publication of this advisory. has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v2 base score of 8.8 has been assigned; the CVSS vector string is (AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C).CVSS Calculator, http://nvd.nist.gov/cvss.cfm?version=2&vector=AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C, Web site last accessed July  30, 2013.

VULNERABILITY DETAILS

EXPLOITABILITY

This vulnerability could be exploited remotely.

EXISTENCE OF EXPLOIT

No known public exploits specifically target this vulnerability.

DIFFICULTY

An attacker with a medium skill would be able to exploit this vulnerability.

MITIGATION

GE has released the following product updates that resolve this vulnerability:

  • Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY 8.2 SIM 19
  • Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY 8.1 SIM 25
  • Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY 8.0 SIM 27

All the updates can be found at:

http://support.ge-ip.com/support/index?page=kbchannel&id=KB15602

ICS‑CERT encourages asset owners to take additional defensive measures to protect against this and other cybersecurity risks.

  • Minimize network exposure for all control system devices. Critical devices should not directly face the Internet.
  • Locate control system networks and remote devices behind firewalls, and isolate them from the business network.
  • When remote access is required, use secure methods, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), recognizing that VPN is only as secure as the connected devices.

ICS-CERT also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the ICS-CERT Web page. Several recommended practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth StrategiesCSSP Recommended Practices, http://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/content/recommended-practices, Web site last accessed July  30, 2013. ICS‑CERT reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to taking defensive measures.

Additional mitigation guidance and recommended practices are publicly available in the ICS‑CERT Technical Information Paper, ICS-TIP-12-146-01B—Targeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation StrategiesTargeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation Strategies, http://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/tips/ICS-TIP-12-146-01B, Web site last accessed July  30, 2013., that is available for download from the ICS-CERT Web page (http://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/).

Organizations observing any suspected malicious activity should follow their established internal procedures and report their findings to ICS‑CERT for tracking and correlation against other incidents.

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Vendor

GE