Table of Contents
February 5, 2025
|7m
How to Fix CVE-2025-0960: Critical Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI?
A critical buffer overflow vulnerability has been identified in AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI devices. This flaw, designated as CVE-2025-0960, stems from insufficient bounds checking within a specific function, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial-of-service condition. Security professionals responsible for industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) environments must understand this vulnerability and implement appropriate mitigation strategies to prevent exploitation. This article provides a detailed overview of CVE-2025-0960, including its technical details, potential impact, affected products, and recommended remediation steps.
A Short Introduction to AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI
AutomationDirect's C-more EA9 HMI (Human Machine Interface) series provides a range of touchscreen panels designed for industrial automation applications. These HMIs allow operators to interact with and monitor programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and other control devices. They are commonly used in manufacturing, process control, and building automation systems to visualize data, control equipment, and manage processes. Given their role in critical infrastructure and industrial operations, the security of these HMIs is paramount.
Summary of CVE-2025-0960
CVE ID: CVE-2025-0960
Description: The AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI contains a function with bounds checks that can be skipped, which could result in a buffer overflow condition.
CVSS Score: 9.3 (Critical)
CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVE-2025-0960 is a classic buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-120) that arises from a function within the C-more EA9 HMI firmware failing to properly validate the size of input data before copying it into a buffer. Specifically, the device contains a function with bounds checks that can be skipped, which could result in a buffer overflow condition. This lack of proper bounds checking can lead to memory corruption, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite critical system data or inject and execute malicious code. The CVSS score of 9.3 reflects the high severity of this flaw, considering the potential for remote, unauthenticated exploitation leading to complete system compromise. You can find more details about CVE-2025-0960 at NIST.
Impact of CVE-2025-0960
The exploitation of CVE-2025-0960 could have severe consequences for organizations utilizing affected AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI devices. A successful attack could lead to:
Denial-of-Service (DoS): By crashing the HMI, an attacker can disrupt operations and prevent operators from monitoring or controlling industrial processes. To prevent denial of service attacks.
Remote Code Execution (RCE): The attacker could potentially execute arbitrary code on the HMI, gaining complete control over the device. This could enable them to manipulate industrial processes, steal sensitive data, or use the HMI as a beachhead for further attacks on the network.
System Compromise: An attacker could potentially gain unauthorized access, manipulate system data, or disrupt operations of the HMI system, which could have serious consequences in industrial control environments.
The impact is particularly significant in industrial control environments, where compromised HMIs can lead to physical damage, production downtime, and safety hazards. Because the vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication, the risk of widespread exploitation is elevated. It's important to have a solid cyber incident response plan in place.
Products Affected by CVE-2025-0960
The following AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI products are affected by CVE-2025-0960. Specific firmware versions affected are not explicitly mentioned, implying all versions are potentially vulnerable until a patch is released.
|
Product
|
Version(s) Affected
|
|---|---|
|
AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI
|
All versions
|
As of the provided information, there are no explicitly listed non-affected products or exempted versions. It is crucial to monitor AutomationDirect's official communication channels for definitive statements on specific affected and unaffected versions.
How to Check If Your Product is Vulnerable?
Determining whether your AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI is vulnerable to CVE-2025-0960 involves several steps:
Identify HMI Models: Create an inventory of all C-more EA9 HMI devices deployed in your environment.
Access HMI Information: Access the HMI's system information through the device's interface.
Check Firmware Version: Look for the firmware version number. Given the current information, all versions are assumed to be vulnerable.
Network Monitoring: Analyze network traffic to and from the HMIs for any suspicious activity. Monitor for unusual patterns, large data transfers, or connections to unfamiliar IP addresses.
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Utilize IDS rules specifically designed to detect buffer overflow attempts or other exploits targeting HMIs.
Vendor Communication: Stay informed about the vulnerability by monitoring AutomationDirect's official website, security advisories, and communication channels for any updates or specific detection guidance.
How to Fix CVE-2025-0960?
As of the current information provided, there is no mention of an available patch for CVE-2025-0960. However, the following mitigation strategies can be implemented to reduce the risk of exploitation:
Network Segmentation: Isolate affected HMI systems from untrusted networks. Implement strong network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors. This can be achieved through firewalls, virtual LANs (VLANs), and access control lists (ACLs).
Minimize Exposure: Reduce the HMI's exposure to the internet and other external networks. Place the HMI behind a firewall and restrict access to only authorized users and systems.
Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS): Deploy IDS/IPS solutions to monitor network traffic and detect malicious activity targeting the HMI. Configure rules to identify buffer overflow attempts and other known exploit techniques.
Monitor Systems: Closely monitor HMI systems for unusual activity or unauthorized access attempts. Review logs regularly and set up alerts for suspicious events.
Principle of Least Privilege: Implement the principle of least privilege, granting users only the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. Restrict administrative privileges to authorized personnel only.
Stay Informed: Monitor AutomationDirect's official channels for any security updates or patches related to this vulnerability. Apply any security updates or patches as soon as they become available.
HMI Hardening: Follow security hardening guidelines for HMI devices. This may include disabling unnecessary services, changing default passwords, and implementing strong authentication mechanisms.
Physical Security: Ensure the physical security of HMI devices to prevent unauthorized access and tampering.
Web Application Firewall (WAF): If the HMI has a web interface, consider deploying a WAF to filter malicious requests and protect against common web attacks.
Workarounds: Since there is no official patch, it's important to emphasize a defense-in-depth strategy. While not guaranteed to completely prevent exploitation, the following practices will make it significantly more difficult for attackers:
Disable Unused Features: Disable any unnecessary features or services on the HMI that are not essential for its operation.
Input Validation: Implement strict input validation on the HMI's user interface to prevent the injection of malicious data.
Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting to restrict the number of requests that can be sent to the HMI within a specific timeframe. This can help mitigate DoS attacks.
Conclusion
CVE-2025-0960 poses a significant security risk to organizations using AutomationDirect C-more EA9 HMI devices. The critical nature of this buffer overflow vulnerability, combined with the potential for remote, unauthenticated exploitation, necessitates immediate attention from security professionals. Until a patch is released, implementing the recommended mitigation strategies is essential to protect industrial control systems and prevent potentially devastating consequences. Continuous monitoring of AutomationDirect's official communication channels is crucial to stay informed about the availability of security updates and patches. By taking a proactive approach to security, organizations can minimize the risk of exploitation and ensure the safety and reliability of their industrial operations.
Found this article interesting? Keep visit thesecmaster.com, and our social media page on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Telegram, Tumblr, Medium, and Instagram and subscribe to receive tips like this.
You may also like these articles:
How to Fix CVE-2024-20419 - A Critical Password Change Vulnerability in On-Prem Cisco SSM?
How to Fix CVE-2024-11187: CPU Exhaustion Vulnerability in BIND 9 Servers?
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-40891- Critical Vulnerability in Tenda AC8 Router Security
How to Fix CVE-2025-24085: Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Apple Devices?
Arun KL
Arun KL is a cybersecurity professional with 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud security, vulnerability management, Penetration Testing, security operations, and incident response. He is adept at designing and implementing robust security solutions to safeguard systems and data. Arun holds multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNA Security, RHCE, CEH, and AWS Security.
