Multiple GE Intelligent Platforms Products KeyHelp.ocx ActiveX Control Remote Command Injection Vulnerability [CVE-2012-2516]

Multiple GE Intelligent Platform products contain a vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct command injection attacks on a targeted system.

The vulnerability exists because the affected software fails to perform sufficient sanitization on user-supplied input. An unauthenticated, remote attacker could exploit the vulnerability by convincing a user to view a malicious web page with the affected software. When processed, the page could pass malicious commands to the affected software and execute the commands with the privileges of the user.

GE has confirmed the vulnerability and released software updates.

The following GE Intelligent Platform products are affected:

• Proficy Historian Versions 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, and 3.1
• Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX Versions 5.1 and 5.0
• Proficy Pulse Version 1.0
• Proficy Batch Execution Version 5.6
• SI7 I/O Driver Versions 7.20 through 7.42

The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input in the KeyHelp.ocx ActiveX control component used by the affected software.

An unauthenticated, remote attacker could exploit the vulnerability by convincing a user to visit a malicious web page designed to pass unspecified data parameters embedded with malicious commands. When the page is processed, the attacker could execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the user, or place (or replace) malicious files on the targeted system.

To exploit the vulnerability, the attacker may provide a link that directs a user to a malicious site and use misleading language or instructions to persuade the user to follow the provided link.

GE has suggested that this vulnerability could be mitigated by removing the unnecessary ActiveX component from the affected products. GE has provided a tool to remove the unnecessary component.

Administrators are advised to apply the appropriate updates.

Users should verify that unsolicited links are safe to follow.

Users are advised not to visit websites or follow links that have suspicious characteristics or cannot be verified as safe.

GE has released a security advisory at the following link: GEIP12-04

US-CERT has released a security advisory at the following link: ICSA-12-131-02

GE users are advised to first apply the SIM updates for appropriate products and then run the removal tool as per the instructions mentioned in the security advisory at the following link: KB14863