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Automation RuntimeApplication · Br Automation

CVE-2023-3242

MEDIUM · 5.9 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-07-26
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
68/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
Improper initialization implementation in Portmapper used in B&R Industrial Automation Automation Runtime <G4.93 allows unauthenticated network-based attackers to cause permanent denial-of-service conditions.

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

Improper initialization in the Portmapper service of B&R Industrial Automation's Automation Runtime versions before G4.93 allows remote attackers to trigger a permanent denial-of-service condition without authentication. The vulnerability stems from initialization flaws that cause the service to fail unrecoverably when specially crafted network requests are processed, rendering the affected system unavailable until manual intervention or reboot.

MitigationUpgrade Automation Runtime to version G4.93 or later to address the improper initialization vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, isolate the Portmapper service through network segmentation and restrict access to trusted hosts to reduce the attack surface.

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
Automation RuntimeApplication
Affected:< g4.93

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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. Confirm B&R Automation Runtime is installed
    Check system inventory, Program Files, or industrial control system documentation for B&R Automation Runtime software presence
    Affected if B&R Automation Runtime software is found on the system
  2. Identify Automation Runtime version
    Access the Automation Runtime control panel, runtime configuration, or version information dialog to determine the installed version number
    Affected if Installed version is lower than G4.93 (e.g., G4.92, G4.91, etc.)
  3. Verify Portmapper service status
    Check if the Portmapper service is running or enabled in Windows Services, Automation Runtime configuration, or runtime management console
    Affected if Portmapper service is enabled and running on the affected system
  4. Assess Portmapper network exposure
    Review firewall rules, network configuration, and Portmapper listening ports (typically UDP 111) to determine if the service is accessible from network segments
    Affected if Portmapper is accessible from untrusted network segments or directly exposed to network

System is affected if B&R Automation Runtime versions before G4.93 are installed AND the Portmapper service is enabled and network-accessible.

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 Automation Runtime to version G4.93 or later to address the improper initialization vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, isolate the Portmapper service through network segmentation and restrict access to trusted hosts to reduce the attack surface.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Automation Runtime G4.93

  1. Verify the current Automation Runtime version by accessing the B&R Automation Studio or checking the controller system information
  2. Download Automation Runtime G4.93 or later from the B&R website (www.br-automation.com) or your B&R support渠道
  3. Create a full backup of the current project and controller configuration before performing the upgrade
  4. Follow B&R's documented upgrade procedure for Automation Runtime, typically via Automation Studio or a firmware update tool
  5. After upgrading, verify that the Portmapper service initializes correctly and the controller operates normally
  6. Test that network services (particularly Portmapper) are functioning as expected post-upgrade
Caveat Review B&R release notes for G4.93 to confirm compatibility with your specific controller hardware and project configuration before upgrading

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

Fix this in Automation Runtime Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,500
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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-2023-3242 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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