IRAI AUTOMGEN Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

This October 2011 alert describes a buffer overflow vulnerability with potential code execution affecting IRAI Automgen, a human-machine interface supervisory control and data acquisition (HMI SCADA) product.

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Summary

ICS-CERT is aware of a public report of a buffer overflow vulnerability with potential code execution affecting IRAI Automgen, a human-machine interface supervisory control and data acquisition (HMI SCADA) product. According to this report, the vulnerability is exploitable by running a malformed project file. This report was released without coordination with either the vendor or ICS-CERT.

ICS-CERT has not yet verified the vulnerabilities or proof-of-concept (PoC) code, but has reached out to the affected vendor to notify, confirm, and identify mitigations. ICS-CERT is issuing this alert to provide early notice of the report and identify baseline mitigations for reducing risks to these and other cybersecurity attacks.

The report includes vulnerability details and PoC exploit code for the following vulnerability:

Please report any issues affecting control systems in critical infrastructure environments to ICS-CERT.

PoC code is publicly available on the Internet.

IRAI Automgen is an automation software package that contains an HMI for design and control of an automated process.

Mitigation

ICS-CERT is currently coordinating with the vendor and security researcher to identify useful mitigations.

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 e-mail messages.
2. Refer to Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams for more information on avoiding e-mail scams.
3. Refer to Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams for more information on social engineering attacks.

In addition, ICS-CERT recommends that users take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of these vulnerabilities. Specifically, users should: for more information on social engineering attacks.

• Minimize network exposure for all control system devices. Control system devices should not directly face the Internet.1
• Locate control system networks and devices behind firewalls, and isolate them from the business network.
• If remote access is required, employ secure methods, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), recognizing that VPN is only as secure as the connected devices.

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

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

• 1. ICS-CERT ALERT, http://www.us-cert.gov/control_systems/pdf/ICS-Alert-10-301-01.pdf, website last accessed October 10, 2011.

• IRAI