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1763 L16awa Series AApplication · Rockwellautomation

CVE-2016-0868

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2016-01-28
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Stack-based buffer overflow on Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 devices A through 15.000 and B before 15.002 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web request.

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 confidence

A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the web server component of Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 programmable logic controller (PLC) devices. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw via specially crafted HTTP requests to achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected device.

MitigationUpgrade the device firmware to version 15.002 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, isolate the device's web interface from untrusted networks using network segmentation or firewall rules to reduce exposure.

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
1763 L16awa Series AApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16awa Series BApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16bbb Series AApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16bbb Series BApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16bwa Series AApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16bwa Series BApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16dwd Series AApplication
Affected:= 15.000
1763 L16dwd Series BApplication
Affected:= 15.000

CVSS 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
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the device model
    Access the PLC device or its configuration software and verify the model number. Look for 1763-L16awa, 1763-L16bbb, 1763-L16bwa, or 1763-L16dwd variants.
    Affected if The device is any of the listed MicroLogix 1100 variants (Series A or Series B).
  2. Check the firmware version
    Using RSLinx Classic or the device's web interface, retrieve the firmware version. Compare it against the affected version 15.000.
    Affected if The firmware version is exactly 15.000.
  3. Verify the web server is enabled
    Access the device configuration and check if the embedded web server feature is turned on. This is typically found in the device's communication settings or web server configuration menu.
    Affected if The web server component is enabled on the device.
  4. Assess network exposure
    Determine if the device's web interface (HTTP port 80/443) is accessible from network segments that contain untrusted users or systems.
    Affected if The web interface is exposed to untrusted networks, making remote exploitation possible.

If the device is a MicroLogix 1100 with firmware version 15.000 and the web server is enabled and accessible, the environment is affected by this vulnerability.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade the device firmware to version 15.002 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, isolate the device's web interface from untrusted networks using network segmentation or firewall rules to reduce exposure.

Recommended fix High confidence

Firmware version 15.002 or later for Series B; any version higher than 15.000 for Series A

  1. 1. Identify the exact firmware version of the MicroLogix 1100 controller by accessing the device through RSLogix 500 or the web interface.
  2. 2. For Series A devices: Upgrade firmware to a version higher than 15.000 (the vendor released subsequent versions after 15.000 that address this vulnerability).
  3. 3. For Series B devices: Upgrade firmware to version 15.002 or later, which contains the fix for this stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability.
  4. 4. Download the appropriate firmware update from the Rockwell Automation website or through their official support channels.
  5. 5. Use RSLogix 500 and RSLinx Classic to upload the new firmware to the controller following vendor instructions.
  6. 6. After upgrade, verify the firmware version matches the target fixed version.
  7. 7. Ensure the device web server is not exposed to untrusted networks, as this vulnerability is exploitable remotely via crafted web requests.
Caveat Firmware upgrades on industrial controllers may require recalibration or testing of control logic; review release notes for any changes to functionality or communication protocols

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in 1763 L16awa Series A Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,970
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-0868 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
  • 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