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CVE-2024-5988 Rockwell Automation CVE debrief

A critical remote code execution vulnerability in Rockwell Automation ThinManager ThinServer allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending malicious messages due to improper input validation. The vulnerability affects multiple versions from 11.1.0 through 13.2.0 and was disclosed by CISA on July 11, 2024.

Vendor
Rockwell Automation
Product
ThinManager ThinServer
CVSS
CRITICAL 9.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2024-07-11
Original CVE updated
2024-07-11
Advisory published
2024-07-11
Advisory updated
2024-07-11

Who should care

Organizations running Rockwell Automation ThinManager ThinServer in industrial environments, particularly manufacturing, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors where ThinManager is deployed for centralized thin client management. Security teams responsible for OT/ICS network segmentation and patch management should prioritize this vulnerability due to its unauthenticated nature and critical severity.

Technical summary

CVE-2024-5988 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Rockwell Automation ThinManager ThinServer affecting versions 11.1.0 through 13.2.0. The flaw stems from improper input validation that allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to send a crafted malicious message to invoke local or remote executables, resulting in remote code execution on the affected device. The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no authentication, making it trivially exploitable. The ThinServer component listens on TCP port 2031, which should be considered a high-risk attack surface. Rockwell Automation has released patched versions across all affected release branches.

Defensive priority

CRITICAL

Recommended defensive actions

  • Update ThinManager ThinServer to corrected versions: 11.1.8, 11.2.9, 12.0.7, 12.1.8, 13.0.5, 13.1.3, or 13.2.2 via the ThinManager Downloads Site
  • Restrict network access to TCP port 2031, limiting connections to known thin clients and ThinManager servers only
  • Apply Rockwell Automation's security best practices for industrial control systems
  • Monitor for unauthorized connection attempts to TCP port 2031

Evidence notes

CISA published advisory ICSA-24-193-18 on July 11, 2024, documenting this vulnerability with CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8. The advisory confirms unauthenticated remote code execution via improper input validation on TCP port 2031. Rockwell Automation has released corrected versions for all affected branches.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2024-5988 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-5988

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

  • CVE-2024-5988 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-5988

    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/2024/icsa-24-193-18.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-24-193-18

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/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/sites/default/files/publications/Cybersecurity_Best_Practices_for_Industrial_Control_Systems.pdf

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

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

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

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

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ics/tips/ICS-TIP-12-146-01B

    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.