16 May 2019

KLCERT-19-025: Siemens SIMATIC WinCC and SIMATIC PCS 7 remote code execution using specially crafted project files

Vendor

Siemens

Timeline

Timeline

  • Kaspersky ICS CERT advisory published

    15 May 2019

  • Vendor releases patch

    May 2019

  • Vulnerabilities acknowledged by Vendor

    December 2018

  • Vulnerabilities reported

    December 2018

Description

An attacker with access to the project file could run arbitrary system commands with the privileges of the local database server.

The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker with access to the project file. The vulnerability does impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.


Exploitability

Remotely

Attack complexity

Low

User interaction

None

Impact

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.

Existence of exploit

Unknown

Affected products

SIMATIC PCS 7 V8.0 and earlier: All versions
SIMATIC PCS 7 V8.1: All versions
SIMATIC PCS 7 V8.2: All versions
SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC (TIA Portal) V13: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC (TIA Portal) V14: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC (TIA Portal) V15: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC V7.2 and earlier: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC V7.3: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC V7.4: All versions
SIMATIC WinCC V7.5: All versions < V7.5 Upd3

Mitigation

Vendor mitigation

Siemens has identified the following specific workarounds and mitigations that customers can apply to reduce the risk:

  • Apply Defense-in-Depth
  • Enable “Encrypted communication” in SIMATIC WinCC and SIMATIC PCS 7.
  • Only open project files from trusted locations.

Kaspersky Lab publishes information on newly identified vulnerabilities in order to raise user awareness of the IT security threats detected. Kaspersky Lab does not make any guarantees in respect of information received from vendors of products in which vulnerabilities have been identified, which is included in the following sections of the advisory: Affected Products, Vendor Mitigation.

Timeline

  • Kaspersky ICS CERT advisory published

    15 May 2019

  • Vendor releases patch

    May 2019

  • Vulnerabilities acknowledged by Vendor

    December 2018

  • Vulnerabilities reported

    December 2018