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OpenAdvisories
High VDE-2020-025 1 CVE

PHOENIX CONTACT: Improper path sanitation on import of project files in PLCnext Engineer

Published Jul 21, 2020 · Updated May 14, 2025 · Revision 3

Vendor: Phoenix Contact Product: PLCnext Engineer

Summary

The build settings of a PLCnext Engineer project (.pcwex) can be manipulated in a way that can result in the execution of remote code.
The attacker needs to get access to a PLCnext Engineer project to be able to manipulate files inside. Additionally, the files of the remote code need to be transferred to a location which can be accessed by the PC that runs PLCnext Engineer. When PLCnext Engineer runs a build process of the manipulated project the remote code can be executed.

Details

Impact
Availability, integrity, or confidentiality of an engineering workstation might be compromised by attacks using these vulnerabilities.

Remediation
Phoenix Contact strongly recommends updating to the latest version PLCnext Enineer 2020.6, which fixes this vulnerability.

Mitigation
We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange
services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email. Users should avoid
importing project files from unknown source and exchange or store project files together with a
checksum to ensure their integrity.

Vulnerabilities 1

  • High 8.2
    CVE-2020-12499

    PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer version 2020.3.1 and earlier: Improper path sanitation vulnerability.

    In PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer version 2020.3.1 and earlier an improper path sanitation vulnerability exists on import of project files.

    Phoenix Contact PLCnext Engineer ICS / OT

Revision history

  1. #3

    Fix: version space, removed ia, firmware category, added distribution

  2. #2

    Fix: correct certvde domain, added self-reference

  3. #1

    Initial revision.

References