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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2024-25062 Siemens CVE debrief

A use-after-free vulnerability exists in libxml2 versions prior to 2.11.7 and 2.12.x prior to 2.12.5. The flaw occurs in the xmlValidatePopElement function when the XML Reader interface is used with DTD validation and XInclude expansion enabled. Processing a crafted XML document under these conditions can trigger memory corruption, potentially leading to denial of service. Siemens SINEC NMS is affected by this vulnerability through its use of the vulnerable libxml2 library. CISA published advisory ICSA-24-228-06 on August 13, 2024, coordinating disclosure with Siemens. The vendor has released version 3.0 to address this issue.

Vendor
Siemens
Product
SINEC NMS
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.9
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2023-06-13
Original CVE updated
2024-04-09
Advisory published
2023-06-13
Advisory updated
2024-04-09

Who should care

Organizations operating Siemens SINEC NMS for industrial network management should prioritize patching. Security teams in OT/ICS environments using XML processing with libxml2 should assess exposure. System administrators responsible for patch management in industrial control system environments should track this advisory.

Technical summary

The vulnerability is a use-after-free in libxml2's xmlValidatePopElement function. It manifests when the XML Reader interface processes documents with DTD validation and XInclude expansion enabled. An attacker can supply a crafted XML document to trigger the flaw. The impact is primarily denial of service through memory corruption. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates network attack vector, high attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and high availability impact.

Defensive priority

medium

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade Siemens SINEC NMS to version 3.0 or later per vendor guidance.
  • Review XML processing configurations to limit exposure if patching is delayed.
  • Monitor CISA ICS advisories for additional affected product announcements.

Evidence notes

The vulnerability is rooted in libxml2's XML Reader interface when DTD validation and XInclude expansion are both enabled. The use-after-free in xmlValidatePopElement can be triggered by crafted XML input. Siemens has confirmed SINEC NMS is affected and provides remediation guidance.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2024-25062 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-25062

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

  • CVE-2024-25062 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-25062

    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-24-228-06.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/csaf/ssa-784301.json

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-784301.html

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-24-228-06

    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/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

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.