CVE-2012-0257
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 · uneditedHeap-based buffer overflow in the WWCabFile ActiveX component in the Wonderware System Platform in Invensys Wonderware Application Server 2012 and earlier, Foxboro Control Software 3.1 and earlier, InFusion CE/FE/SCADA 2.5 and earlier, Wonderware Information Server 4.5 and earlier, ArchestrA Application Object Toolkit 3.2 and earlier, and InTouch 10.0 through 10.5 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string to the Open member, leading to a function-pointer overwrite.
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 · high confidenceHeap-based buffer overflow in the WWCabFile ActiveX component allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string to the Open method, leading to function-pointer overwrite. This affects multiple Wonderware/Invensys industrial software products including System Platform, Foxboro Control Software, InTouch, and related components.
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<= 3.2<= 3.1<= 2.5<= 2.5<= 2.5= 10.0= 10.5<= 2012<= 4.5= 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
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
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.
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Locate WWCabFile ActiveX component on the systemSearch for WWCabFile.dll in typical Wonderware installation directories (C:\Program Files\Wonderware or C:\Program Files (x86)\Wonderware) and check registry entries under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\WWCabFile for COM registration.Affected if The WWCabFile.dll file exists and is registered as an ActiveX control on the system.
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Identify installed Invensys/Wonderware product and versionOpen Control Panel > Programs and Features, or query the registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for entries starting with Wonderware or Invensys. Record the exact product name and version number.Affected if Any of these products are installed: Archestra Application Object Toolkit (version <= 3.2), Foxboro Control Software (<= 3.1), Infusion Control Edition, Infusion Foundation Edition, or Infusion Scada (all <= 2.5), Intouch (exactly 10.0 or 10.5), Wonderware Application Server (<= 2012), or Wonderware
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Check if the ActiveX control is loaded or loadableReview any installed web interfaces, historian clients, or legacy applications that may instantiate the WWCabFile control. Check browser add-ons in Internet Explorer for the WWCabFile ActiveX, or search project files for references to this control.Affected if The WWCabFile ActiveX control is available to be loaded by browsers, scripts, or client applications.
The system is affected if the WWCabFile ActiveX component is present AND any affected Invensys/Wonderware product version from the list above is installed.
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 dataApply vendor-supplied patches or upgrades to affected products, or disable the vulnerable WWCabFile ActiveX control if not required for operations. For legacy systems without patches, implement network segmentation and restrict access to vulnerable interfaces.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-0257 — 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-2012-0257 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
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- 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
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