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PHOENIX CONTACT: Automationworx BCP File Parsing Vulnerabilities

VDE-2022-048
Last update
05/14/2025 15:00
Published at
11/15/2022 10:25
Vendor(s)
Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
External ID
VDE-2022-048
CSAF Document
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Summary

Manipulated PC Worx or Config+ files could lead to a heap buffer overflow, release of unallocated memory or a read access violation due to insufficient validation of input data.The attacker needs to get access to an original bus configuration file (*.bcp) to be able to manipulate data inside. After manipulation the attacker needs to exchange the original file by the manipulated one on the application programming workstation.

Update A, 2022-11-14

removed the sentence "Automated systems in operation which were programmed with one of the above-mentioned products are not affected." from Impact.

Impact

Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities.

Affected Product(s)

Model no. Product name Affected versions
Config+ 1.0<=1.89 Config+ 1.0<=1.89
PC Worx 1.0<=1.89 PC Worx 1.0<=1.89
PC Worx Express 1.0<=1.89 PC Worx Express 1.0<=1.89

Vulnerabilities

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Published
09/22/2025 14:58
Severity
7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)
Summary

In PHOENIX CONTACT Automationworx Software Suite up to version 1.89 memory can be read beyond the intended scope due to insufficient validation of input data. Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities.

References
cve.org | nvd.nist.gov

Published
09/22/2025 14:58
Severity
7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer (CWE-119)
Summary

In PHOENIX CONTACT Automationworx Software Suite up to version 1.89 manipulated PC Worx or Config+ files could lead to a heap buffer overflow and a read access violation. Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an application programming workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities.

References
cve.org | nvd.nist.gov

Mitigation

We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email.

Remediation

With the next version of Automationworx Software Suite an already implemented remediation measure needs to be corrected to prevent the release of unallocated memory.To prevent the read access violation the validation of the input data will be improved.
We strongly recommend customers to upgrade to Automation Worx Software Suite > 1.89.

Revision History

Version Date Summary
1 11/15/2022 10:25 Initial revision.
2 11/15/2022 10:26 Update A
3 05/14/2025 15:00 Fix: added distribution