PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2024-46685 Siemens CVE debrief

A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's pinctrl subsystem, specifically within the pcs_get_function() function in the pinctrl-single driver. The function pinmux_generic_get_function() can return NULL, but the resulting pointer was dereferenced without validation, leading to a potential kernel crash. This vulnerability affects Siemens industrial networking products running SINEC OS, including the RUGGEDCOM RST2428P and SCALANCE XC-300/XR-300/XC-400/XR-500WG/XR-500 family devices. The issue requires local access with low privileges to exploit, and successful exploitation results in high availability impact (system crash) with no confidentiality or integrity impact. Siemens has released firmware updates to address this vulnerability.

Vendor: Siemens
Product: RUGGEDCOM RST2428P (6GK6242-6PA00)
CVSS: MEDIUM 5.5
CISA KEV: Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published: 2025-08-12
Original CVE updated: 2026-02-25
Advisory published: 2025-08-12
Advisory updated: 2026-02-25

Who should care

Organizations operating Siemens industrial networking infrastructure including RUGGEDCOM RST2428P switches and SCALANCE XC/XR/XCM/XRM/XCH/XRH series devices in manufacturing, energy, transportation, and critical infrastructure sectors. Security teams responsible for OT/ICS asset management and patch deployment should prioritize firmware updates.

Technical summary

The vulnerability exists in the pinctrl-single driver (drivers/pinctrl/pinctrl-single.c) where pcs_get_function() calls pinmux_generic_get_function() and dereferences the returned pointer without NULL checking. This can trigger a kernel oops or panic when the function lookup fails. The issue is classified as CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference) with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). Attack vector is local, requiring low privileges and no user interaction. The vulnerability was addressed in the Linux kernel and subsequently incorporated into Siemens SINEC OS firmware updates.

Defensive priority

medium

Recommended defensive actions

Apply vendor firmware updates to V3.2 or later version for affected Siemens RUGGEDCOM and SCALANCE products
Verify current firmware version on affected industrial networking devices
Implement network segmentation for industrial control systems per CISA recommended practices
Monitor for anomalous system crashes or unexpected reboots on affected devices
Review Siemens ProductCERT advisory SSA-355557 for additional product-specific guidance

Evidence notes

Vulnerability published 2025-08-12 per CVE record and CISA CSAF advisory ICSA-25-226-07. Modified 2026-02-25. CVSS 3.1 score 5.5 (MEDIUM) with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference). Affects Siemens RUGGEDCOM RST2428P (6GK6242-6PA00), SCALANCE XC-300/XR-300/XC-400/XR-500WG/XR-500 family, and SCALANCE XCM-/XRM-/XCH-/XRH-300 family. Remediation: Update to V3.2 or later version per vendor advisory.

Official resources

2025-08-12