CVE-2023-25619 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE was published on April 19, 2023, by Schneider Electric and affects certain products under their Modicon line. The vulnerability assigned with CWE-754 could potentially lead to a denial of service of the controller when communicating over the Modbus TCP protocol.

Understanding CVE-2023-25619

This CVE highlights a critical vulnerability that impacts several Schneider Electric products, potentially causing denial of service issues when using the Modbus TCP protocol.

What is CVE-2023-25619?

The CVE-2023-25619 vulnerability involves an Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions within affected Schneider Electric products. This flaw could be exploited to disrupt the controller's functionality, leading to denial of service situations.

The Impact of CVE-2023-25619

With a base severity score of 7.5 and high availability impact, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to affected systems. Attackers could potentially exploit this issue to disrupt critical operations reliant on the vulnerable products, leading to service interruptions and operational challenges.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-25619

This section provides more insights into the vulnerability, affected systems, and how attackers may exploit this weakness.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from an improper check for exceptional conditions, allowing attackers to trigger denial of service scenarios by leveraging the Modbus TCP protocol.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following Schneider Electric products are affected by CVE-2023-25619:

Modicon M340 CPU (prior to SV3.51)
Modicon M580 CPU (prior to V4.10)
Modicon M580 CPU Safety (All versions)
Modicon Momentum Unity M1E Processor (All versions)
Modicon MC80 (All versions)
Legacy Modicon Quantum (All versions)
Legacy Modicon Premium CPUs (All versions)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests over the Modbus TCP protocol, triggering the improper check and causing a denial of service condition in the controller.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard against CVE-2023-25619 and mitigate potential risks, immediate actions and long-term security practices are recommended.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should apply patches or updates provided by Schneider Electric promptly.
Network segmentation and access controls can limit exposure to vulnerable systems.
Monitoring network traffic for any malicious activity targeting the vulnerability is crucial.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and maintain all Schneider Electric products to stay protected against known vulnerabilities.
Conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify and address any emerging threats within the network.

Patching and Updates

Schneider Electric has released security and safety notices along with patches to address CVE-2023-25619. Organizations should download and apply these updates as soon as possible to secure their systems and prevent potential disruptions.