# CVE-2012-6442: Rockwell Automation ControlLogix PLC Improper Access Control

> An unauthorized remote attacker can send a valid CIP message to reset Rockwell Automation PLCs, causing a denial of service and communication disruption.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Jan 2013
- **Updated:** 3 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5v56-2w57-vj72

## What is CVE-2012-6442?

CVE-2012-6442 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Rockwell Automation 1756-ENBT, 1756-EWEB, 1768-ENBT, 1768-EWEB communication modules, published on 24 Jan 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

When an affected product receives a valid CIP message from an unauthorized or unintended source to Port 2222/TCP, Port 2222/UDP, Port 44818/TCP, or Port 44818/UDP that instructs the product to reset, a DoS can occur. This situation could cause loss of availability and a disruption of communication with other connected devices.

Rockwell Automation EtherNet/IP products; 1756-ENBT, 1756-EWEB, 1768-ENBT, and 1768-EWEB communication modules; CompactLogix L32E and L35E controllers; 1788-ENBT FLEXLogix adapter; 1794-AENTR FLEX I/O EtherNet/IP adapter; ControlLogix 18 and earlier; CompactLogix 18 and earlier; GuardLogix 18 and earlier; SoftLogix 18 and earlier; CompactLogix controllers 19 and earlier; SoftLogix controllers 19 and earlier; ControlLogix controllers 20 and earlier; GuardLogix controllers 20 and earlier; and MicroLogix 1100 and 1400

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-6442?

It affects 12 products.


Products: Rockwellautomation Compactlogix Controllers Firmware, Rockwellautomation Compactlogix Firmware, Rockwellautomation Controllogix Controllers Firmware, Rockwellautomation Controllogix Firmware, Rockwellautomation Ethernet\/Ip Firmware, Rockwellautomation Flex I\/O Ethernet\/Ip  Firmware, Rockwellautomation Flexlogix Firmware, Rockwellautomation Guardlogix Controllers Firmware, Rockwellautomation Guardlogix Firmware, Rockwellautomation Micrologix Firmware, Rockwellautomation Softlogix Controllers Firmware, Rockwellautomation Softlogix Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-6442?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-6442 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-6442 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-6442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-6442 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-6442 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Rockwell Automation 1756-ENBT, 1756-EWEB, 1768-ENBT, 1768-EWEB communication modules, published on 24 Jan 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-6442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation 1756-ENBT, 1756-EWEB, 1768-ENBT, 1768-EWEB communication modules. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6442/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6442/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-6442
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-6442
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-6442

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6442/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.