ICS Advisory

Honeywell HMIWeb Browser Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

Last Revised
Alert Code
ICSA-12-150-01

OVERVIEW

This advisory was originally posted on the the US-CERT secure portal library (titled ICSA-12-150-01P Honeywell HMIWeb Browser Buffer Overflow Vulnerability) to allow customers time to download the vendor patch prior to full public disclosure.

ICS-CERT received a report from Honeywell and the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI),a concerning a buffer overflow vulnerability in all products using the Honeywell HMIWeb browser. This vulnerability was reported to ZDI by an anonymous researcher.

Honeywell has created specific patches, based on the product version, that address this issue. These patches have not been independently validated.

This vulnerability could be exploited remotely.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

The affected products and versions are:

  1. Honeywell Process Solutions:
    1. Experion Releases R400.x, R31x, R30x, and R2xx,
  2. Honeywell Building Solutions:
    1. Enterprise Building Manager Releases,
  3. R400 and R410.1 and SymmetrE R410.1 release,
  4. Honeywell Environmental Combustion & Controls, and
  5. SymmetrE R410.1 release.

IMPACT

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow remote, unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system.

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

BACKGROUND

Honeywell Experion PKS is a distributed control system solution sold globally by Honeywell Process Solutions. Experion PKS is used for automation and control of industrial and manufacturing processes.

Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) is a building system integration software product sold globally by Honeywell Building Solutions and Honeywell Process Solutions. Building operators and facility engineers use EBI to control HVAC, physical security, life safety, and energy systems. The EBI software monitors alarms and events and allows for system configuration and administration as required.

Honeywell SymmetrE is a building system integration software product sold by Environmental and Combustion Controls in North and South America. Building operators and facility engineers use SymmetrE to primarily control HVAC systems and for open protocol integration. The SymmetrE software monitors alarms and events and allows for system configuration and administration as required.

VULNERABILITY CHARACTERIZATION

Stack-Based Buffer Overflowhttp://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/121.html

The Honeywell HMIWeb Browser HSCDSPRenderDLL ActiveX control contains a stack buffer overflow that can allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system.

CVE-2012-0254http://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2012-0254 , 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 7.5 has also been assigned.

Exploitability

This vulnerability is exploitable 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

Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) and Honeywell Building Solutions (HBS) have released fixes for this vulnerability.
HPS customers should download the security notification that describes the vulnerability and provides a link to the fixes at: www.honeywellprocess.com

  • Select Support, then select Latest Notifications (or use this LINK).
  • Open document SN 2012 03 09 01A Security Vulnerability in HMIWeb Browser.

No login is required to view the document. However, login is required to download software using links in Honeywell’s SN document.

HBS customers should contact their local account manager to arrange for updates to be applied by HBS service technicians.

Honeywell Environmental Combustion and Control (ECC) SymmetrE customers or their contractors should use the URL below to obtain HMIWeb Browser update. Users should install this update on the SymmetrE server and workstation clients following the Software Release Bulletin instructions.

The update can be found here: https://extranet.honeywell.com/ecc/TheBuildingsForum under the XL5000—SymmetrE section. Access to this Web site requires registration.

Additional Precautions
  • Do not use a Station node to connect to the Internet for the purposes of Web browsing.
  • If a Station node is connected to the Internet, do not use Station or Internet Explorer to browse the Internet, or limit this usage only to trusted Web sites.

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.

The Control Systems Security Program (CSSP) also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the CSSP Web page. Several recommended practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies. ICS-CERT reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to taking defensive measures.

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.

In addition, ICS-CERT recommends that users take the following measures to protect themselves from social engineering attacks:

  1. Do not click Web links or open unsolicited attachments in email messages.
  2. Refer to Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams for more information on avoiding email scams.
  3. Refer to Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information on social engineering attacks.

This product is provided subject to this Notification and this Privacy & Use policy.

Vendor

Honeywell