Improper input validation in Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 CPUs
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC S7-300 CPUs (All versions < V3.X.16). The affected CPUs improperly validate S7 communication packets which could cause a Denial-of-Service condition of the CPU. The CPU will remain in DEFECT mode until manual restart. Successful exploitation requires an attacker to be able to send a specially crafted S7 communication packet to a communication interface of the CPU. This includes Ethernet, PROFIBUS, and Multi Point Interfaces (MPI). No user interaction or privileges are required to exploit the security vulnerability. The vulnerability could allow causing a Denial-of-Service condition of the core functionality of the CPU, compromising the availability of the system. At the time of advisory publication no public exploitation of this security vulnerability was known. Siemens confirms the security vulnerability and provides mitigations to resolve the security issue.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siemens | SIMATIC S7-300 CPUs | before V3.X.16 | V3.X.16 | Patch available | CNA |
- SIMATIC S7-300 CPUs VendorSiemens Affected before V3.X.16 Fixed in V3.X.16 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Vulnerable | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300f_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Vulnerable | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300f:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300fs_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Vulnerable | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300fs:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300t_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Vulnerable | Siemens |
| cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300t:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Siemens |
- cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300f_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300f:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300fs_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300fs:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:o:siemens:simatic_s7-300t_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·Siemens
- cpe:2.3:h:siemens:simatic_s7-300t:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Siemens
Remediation
- Fix · CNA SIMATIC S7-300 CPUs (Siemens) Fixed in V3.X.16
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2018-16561
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-w9hm-m2x5-5x42
References
More Siemens Simatic S7-300 Firmware vulnerabilities
- TI-2017-09446 Uncontrolled resource consumption in Siemens Development/Evaluation Kits for PROFINET IO… CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2019-04622 Out-of-bounds read in Siemens SIMATIC CP 1604 CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2017-01922 Uncontrolled resource consumption in Siemens Development/Evaluation Kits for PROFINET IO… CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2017-01923 Uncontrolled resource consumption in Siemens Development/Evaluation Kits for PROFINET IO… CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2018-03420 Improper input validation in Siemens SIMATIC S7-400 CPU 414-3 PN/DP V7 CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2018-16561 · CVE Program
- CVE-2018-16561 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-w9hm-m2x5-5x42 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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