dbcve.org
EdgeWeb browser · Aveva

CVE-2021-42796

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-12-16
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2020 or later.
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
An issue was discovered in ExecuteCommand() in AVEVA Edge (formerly InduSoft Web Studio) versions R2020 and prior that allows unauthenticated arbitrary commands to be executed.

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 confidence

AVEVA Edge (formerly InduSoft Web Studio) contains a critical command execution vulnerability in the ExecuteCommand() function. This flaw allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the affected system due to insufficient input validation. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without any authentication, making it particularly dangerous in industrial environments.

MitigationImmediately restrict network exposure of systems running AVEVA Edge R2020 or prior. Apply any available vendor patches or upgrades to a patched version. If patching is delayed, implement compensating controls such as network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to the application's management interfaces.

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
EdgeWeb browser
Affected:< 2020= 2020

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:3.1/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. Locate AVEVA Edge installation directory
    Check common installation paths such as C:\Program Files\Aveva or C:\Program Files (x86)\Aveva, or search for 'InduSoft Web Studio' or 'Aveva Edge' folders on the system.
    Affected if The application directory exists on the system, indicating AVEVA Edge is installed.
  2. Identify installed version
    Right-click on the main executable (typically indusoft.exe, edge.exe, or Studio.exe) in the installation folder, select Properties, and view the File Version or Product Version field in the Details tab.
    Affected if The version number displayed is less than 2020 or exactly equals 2020.
  3. Check Windows Programs and Features
    Open Control Panel > Programs and Features, locate 'AVEVA Edge' or 'InduSoft Web Studio' in the list, and note the version shown in the Version column.
    Affected if The listed version is 2020 or any version prior to 2020.
  4. Verify ExecuteCommand module availability
    Examine project configuration files (.app or .stprj files) for references to ExecuteCommand() function, or check if the runtime allows macro/script execution features.
    Affected if ExecuteCommand functionality is enabled or referenced in project configurations.
  5. Assess network exposure
    Review Windows Firewall rules, check open network ports on the machine using 'netstat -an', and verify if port 80/443 or application-specific ports are listening on external interfaces.
    Affected if The AVEVA Edge management interface or runtime is accessible from non-local network addresses without authentication.

A system is affected if AVEVA Edge version 2020 or prior is installed and the ExecuteCommand function is accessible, particularly if the application is network-exposed.

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
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2020 or later
Fixed in 2020
Interim mitigation

Immediately restrict network exposure of systems running AVEVA Edge R2020 or prior. Apply any available vendor patches or upgrades to a patched version. If patching is delayed, implement compensating controls such as network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to the application's management interfaces.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

AVEVA Edge version R2020 Update 1 or later (a version subsequent to R2020 that includes the security patch)

  1. 1. Identify the current AVEVA Edge (InduSoft Web Studio) version installed in the environment
  2. 2. Review CVE-2021-42796 and associated CISA ICS advisory for detailed remediation guidance
  3. 3. Download the latest version of AVEVA Edge from the official AVEVA support portal (https://support.aveva.com)
  4. 4. Before upgrading, backup all project files, application configurations, and relevant data
  5. 5. Test the upgrade in a non-production environment to verify compatibility with existing applications
  6. 6. Apply the upgrade to production systems following standard change management procedures
  7. 7. Verify that the ExecuteCommand() function no longer allows unauthenticated command execution
  8. 8. Confirm proper operation of all dependent systems and applications
Caveat Review release notes for R2020 Update 1 or subsequent versions for any compatibility changes or feature modifications that may affect existing applications

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

Fix this in Edge Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
44.0 hours of engineering $7,720
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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-2021-42796 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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.

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