CVE-2022-33971

Vulnerability

Omron Machine automation controller NX7 series (all models V1.28 and earlier), NX1 series (all models V1.48 and earlier), and NJ series (all models V1.48 and earlier) contain active debug code (CWE-489). This vulnerability, assigned CVE-2022-33971, allows an attacker to interact with debug functionality left enabled in production firmware [1].

Exploitation

An attacker must be on the same network segment (adjacent attacker) and analyze the communication between the controller and specific software used internally by Omron, such as Sysmac Studio or a programmable terminal. The attack requires no user interaction but demands that the attacker can capture and replay network packets. The CVSS v3.1 vector is AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H with a base score of 8.3, indicating the need for high attack complexity [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation leads to a denial-of-service (DoS) condition or the ability to execute a malicious program on the controller. The scope of impact includes high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the affected controller, as the attacker gains unauthorized access to debug functionality [1].

Mitigation

Omron has not released patches as of the publication date (2022-07-04). Users should restrict network access to affected controllers and ensure only trusted systems (like Sysmac Studio) communicate with them. Refer to Omron's advisories for the latest updates on fixed versions [1].