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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CVSS v3 7.8
ATTENTION: low attack complexity
Vendor: Rockwell Automation
Equipment: Arena Simulation Software
Vulnerabilities: Out-of-bounds Write, Heap-based Buffer Overflow, Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer, Use After Free, Access of Uninitialized Pointer, Out-of-bounds Read

2. RISK EVALUATION

Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could crash the application or allow an attacker to run harmful code on the system.

3. TECHNICAL DETAILS

3.1 AFFECTED PRODUCTS

Rockwell Automation reports that the following versions of Arena Simulation Software are affected:

Arena Simulation Software: version 16.00

3.2 Vulnerability Overview

3.2.1 Out-of-bounds Write CWE-787

An arbitrary code execution vulnerability could let a malicious user insert unauthorized code into the software. This is done by writing beyond the designated memory area, which causes an access violation. Once inside, the threat actor can run harmful code on the system. This affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the product. To trigger this, the user would unwittingly need to open a malicious file shared by the threat actor.

CVE-2024-21912 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has been calculated for CVE-2024-21912. A base score of 8.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N).

3.2.2 HEAP-BASED BUFFER OVERFLOW CWE-122

A heap-based memory buffer overflow vulnerability could potentially allow a malicious user to insert unauthorized code into the software by overstepping the memory boundaries, which trigger an access violation. Once inside, the threat actor can run harmful code on the system. This affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the product. To trigger this, the user would unwittingly need to open a malicious file shared by the threat actor.

CVE-2024-21913 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has been calculated for CVE-2024-21913. A base score of 8.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N).

3.2.3 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer CWE-119

A memory corruption vulnerability could potentially allow a malicious user to insert unauthorized code to the software by corrupting the memory triggering an access violation. Once inside, the threat actor can run harmful code on the system. This affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the product. To trigger this, the user would unwittingly need to open a malicious file shared by the threat actor.

CVE-2024-21914 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has been calculated for CVE-2024-21914. A base score of 8.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N).

3.2.4 Use After Free CWE-416

A memory buffer vulnerability could potentially allow a malicious user to insert unauthorized code to the software by corrupting the memory and triggering an access violation. Once inside, the threat actor can run harmful code on the system. This affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the product. To trigger this, the user would unwittingly need to open a malicious file shared by the threat actor.

CVE-2024-21918 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has been calculated for CVE-2024-21918. A base score of 8.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N).

3.2.5 Access of Uninitialized Pointer CWE-824

An uninitialized pointer could potentially allow a malicious user to insert unauthorized code to the software by leveraging the pointer after it is properly. Once inside, the threat actor can run harmful code on the system. This affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the product. To trigger this, the user would unwittingly need to open a malicious file shared by the threat actor.

CVE-2024-21919 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A CVSS v4 score has been calculated for CVE-2024-21919. A base score of 8.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N).

3.2.6 Out-of-bounds Read CWE-125

A memory buffer vulnerability might let a threat actor read beyond the intended memory boundaries. This could reveal sensitive information and even cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial-of-service condition. To trigger this, the user would unwittingly need to open a malicious file shared by the threat actor.

CVE-2024-21920 has been assigned to this vulnerability. A CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.4 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L).

A CVSS v4 score has been calculated for CVE-2024-21920. A base score of 4.6 has been calculated; the CVSS vector string is (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N).

3.3 BACKGROUND

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS: Food and Agriculture, Healthcare and Public Health, Critical Manufacturing, Transportation Systems
COUNTRIES/AREAS DEPLOYED: Worldwide
COMPANY HEADQUARTERS LOCATION: United States

3.4 RESEARCHER

Michael Heinzl reported these vulnerabilities to Rockwell Automation.

4. MITIGATIONS

Rockwell Automation recommends upgrading the affected product software to 16.20.03.

Rockwell Automation encourages users of the affected software to apply the risk mitigations, if possible:

Do not open untrusted files from unknown sources.
For information on how to mitigate security risks on industrial automation control systems, we encourage customers to implement our suggested security best practices to minimize the risk of the vulnerability.
Customers can use Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization to generate more environment-specific prioritization.

For additional information, refer to Rockwell Automation’s security advisory.

CISA recommends users take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of these vulnerabilities. CISA reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to deploying defensive measures.

CISA also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the ICS webpage on cisa.gov/ics. Several CISA products detailing cyber defense best practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies.

CISA encourages organizations to implement recommended cybersecurity strategies for proactive defense of ICS assets.

Additional mitigation guidance and recommended practices are publicly available on the ICS webpage at cisa.gov/ics in the technical information paper, ICS-TIP-12-146-01B–Targeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation Strategies.

Organizations observing suspected malicious activity should follow established internal procedures and report findings to CISA for tracking and correlation against other incidents.

No known public exploitation specifically targeting these vulnerabilities has been reported to CISA at this time. These vulnerabilities are not exploitable remotely.

5. UPDATE HISTORY

March 26, 2024: Initial Publication