HIGH CVSS 7.5
Published: 2018-03-07

CVE-2018-5452

emerson controlwave_micro_firmware Security Advisory (CVE-2018-5452)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2018-5452 impacting emerson controlwave_micro_firmware. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.5 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
A Stack-based Buffer Overflow issue was discovered in Emerson Process Management ControlWave Micro Process Automation Controller: ControlWave Micro [ProConOS v.4.01.280] firmware: CWM v.05.78.00 and prior. A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability caused by sending crafted packets on Port 20547 could force the PLC to change its state into halt mode.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact
Integrity
None (I:N)
No system modification impact
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product emerson / controlwave_micro_firmware
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-121

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2018-5452 impacting emerson controlwave_micro_firmware.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2018-5452.yaml
id: cve-2018-5452

info:
  name: emerson controlwave_micro_firmware - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2018-5452 affecting emerson controlwave_micro_firmware.
    Evaluation: A Stack-based Buffer Overflow issue was discovered in Emerson Process Management ControlWave Micro Process Automation Controller: ControlWave Micro [P...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2018-5452
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
    cvss-score: 7.5
    cve-id: CVE-2018-5452
    cwe-id: CWE-121
  tags: cve,cve-2018-5452,emerson,controlwave_micro_firmwar,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "controlwave_micro_firmware"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2018-5452.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2018-5452
# Target: emerson controlwave_micro_firmware | CVSS: 7.5 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2018-5452 (emerson controlwave_micro_firmware)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against emerson controlwave_micro_firmware scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2018-5452.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2018-5452
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install controlwave_micro_firmwar 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade controlwave_micro_firmwar 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update controlwave_micro_firmwar

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i controlwave_micro_firmwar 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i controlwave_micro_firmwar

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2018-5452 in emerson controlwave_micro_firmware?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update emerson controlwave_micro_firmware packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2018-5452?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2018-5452?

CVE-2018-5452 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.5 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
7.5
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2018-5452
Weakness CWE-121
Vendor emerson
Product controlwave_micro_firmware
Published 2018-03-07
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H