CVE-2011-2962
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedMultiple stack-based buffer overflows in Invensys Wonderware Information Server 3.1, 4.0, and 4.0 SP1 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via two unspecified ActiveX controls.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceMultiple stack-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities exist in Invensys Wonderware Information Server versions 3.1, 4.0, and 4.0 SP1 within two unspecified ActiveX controls. These remote exploitable buffer overflows allow attackers to potentially crash the service (denial of service) or achieve arbitrary code execution on affected systems.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 3.1= 4.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify installed Wonderware Information Server versionOpen Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features, or check the About section in the Wonderware Administration console. The version number is typically displayed as 'Wonderware Information Server X.X'.Affected if The installed version is 3.1, 4.0, or 4.0 SP1.
-
Confirm specific patch level for version 4.0If version 4.0 is installed, verify whether Service Pack 1 (SP1) is applied by reviewing the full version string in Programs and Features or in the application's help/about dialog.Affected if The version is 4.0 without Service Pack 1, as SP1 is also listed as affected.
-
Detect Wonderware ActiveX controls in Internet ExplorerOpen Internet Explorer, navigate to the Wonderware Information Server web interface (typically http://localhost/wis or the configured IIS URL), then go to Tools > Manage Add-ons and search for Wonderware-related ActiveX controls.Affected if Wonderware ActiveX controls are listed as installed and enabled in the browser.
-
Check IIS configuration for Wonderware web applicationsOpen IIS Manager, expand the Sites node, and look for Wonderware Information Server virtual directories or applications (commonly under Default Web Site). Verify if the web portal is accessible.Affected if The Wonderware web interface is published and accessible via IIS.
-
Verify ActiveX kill bit status in Windows RegistryOpen Registry Editor and navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\ to check if CLSIDs for Wonderware controls have kill bits set (Flag value 0x00000400).Affected if No kill bits are set for Wonderware ActiveX controls, meaning they are allowed to run.
A user is affected if Wonderware Information Server version 3.1, 4.0, or 4.0 SP1 is installed and the ActiveX controls are enabled, exposing the system to the buffer overflow vulnerability.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataDisable or restrict the vulnerable ActiveX controls through browser settings or IIS configuration, apply available vendor patches, and implement network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-2962 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2011-2962 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data