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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2018-20505 ABB CVE debrief

CVE-2018-20505 is a high-severity vulnerability in SQLite 3.25.2 that can be exploited by remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash). The vulnerability occurs when queries are run on a table with a malformed PRIMARY KEY, allowing attackers to leverage the ability to run arbitrary SQL statements. This vulnerability is particularly relevant in certain WebSQL use cases. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5 and is considered high severity. ABB B&R Automation Studio is affected by this vulnerability, specifically versions prior to 6.5.

Vendor
ABB
Product
B&R Automation Studio
CVSS
HIGH 7.5
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-02-18
Original CVE updated
2026-05-21
Advisory published
2026-02-18
Advisory updated
2026-05-21

Who should care

Organizations using ABB B&R Automation Studio versions prior to 6.5 should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to mitigate it. Additionally, developers and administrators working with SQLite 3.25.2 should be cautious when running queries on tables with malformed PRIMARY KEYS. This vulnerability can be particularly problematic in WebSQL use cases.

Technical summary

The vulnerability is caused by a flaw in SQLite 3.25.2 that allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) by running queries on a table with a malformed PRIMARY KEY. This can be exploited in certain WebSQL use cases. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5 and is considered high severity. ABB B&R Automation Studio versions prior to 6.5 are affected by this vulnerability.

Defensive priority

High priority should be given to patching ABB B&R Automation Studio versions prior to 6.5. Additionally, defenders should consider implementing compensating controls to mitigate the vulnerability.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Patch ABB B&R Automation Studio to version 6.5 or later
  • Implement compensating controls to mitigate the vulnerability
  • Monitor for suspicious activity related to WebSQL use cases
  • Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
  • Consider implementing additional security measures such as input validation and error handling

Evidence notes

The vulnerability is documented in the CVE-2018-20505 record and the NVD detail page. ABB has released a security advisory (SA25P007) that provides details on the vulnerability and recommends patching to version 6.5 or later. CISA has also released an advisory (ICSA-26-141-03) that provides additional information on the vulnerability and recommends patching.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2018-20505 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20505

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2018-20505 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20505

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2026/icsa-26-141-03.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://psirt.abb.com/csaf/2026/sa25p007.json

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.br-automation.com/fileadmin/SA25P007-097a386d.pdf

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-26-141-03

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-alerts/ics-alert-10-301-01

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/ics-recommended-practices

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/industrial-control-systems

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/recommended_practices/NCCIC_ICS-CERT_Defense_in_Depth_2016_S508C.pdf

    Reference

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.