Exploits for SCADA Flaws Published on the Internet

Security researchers at Iconics, Datac and Control Microsystems, 7-Technologies and Siemens discovered 34 security flaws within software which were capable of letting remote hackers run malicious code, gain admission into sensitive data, or interrupt the functioning of physical equipments via attacking SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) software deployed on computer servers. Msn published this in news on March 23, 2011.

Notably, the use of SCADA program is associated with operating and monitoring crucial infrastructure systems as well as mechanized industrial manufacturing, production and refining processes. During the 2010 summer the sophisticated Stuxnet virus, which hit the Bushehr nuclear facility in Iran, was created for exploiting vulnerabilities in such SCADA software from Siemens.

Actually, after security researchers investigated the attack codes, they stated that the vulnerabilities themselves weren't extremely perilous since they'd mainly only let an attacker bring down an Internet-connected machine alternatively move out sensitive data, while trying to compromise operator-viewing software rather than the computers which straight away regulated critical processes. However, according to the researchers, the vulnerabilities were even then capable of letting an attacker acquire control of a computer for discovering more security flaws, which if exploited could disturb fundamental functioning.

Stated Luigi Auriemma an Italian researcher, technically SCADA software was simply like any other application of daily use. According to him, it wasn't difficult to abuse ordinary flaws such as integer and heap overflows, exploit stack, while also carry out random commands to corrupt memory, make changes to format strings, as well as abuse design issues along with other bugs. CNet News published this on March 22, 2011.

Moreover, Auriemma, who published the 34 exploits, said that 7 of them abused 3 buffer-overflow flaws within the Siemens software, adding that while exploitation of one flaw could lead to a DOS condition on the system, exploitation of the remaining 2 could let a remote attacker duplicate files onto its directories.

The most risky thing, however, is that each product has vulnerability that can be remotely exploited, so hackers could discover methods for exploiting them for compromising the systems that may be online and then modify or seize data.

Related article: Exploiting BITS To Compromise Windows Update

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