# CVE-2016-9338: Privilege escalation in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1100 and 1400

> Administrators can remove all admin users, requiring a factory reset to restore web server functions, impacting availability of the controller's interface.

- **Severity:** Low 2.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Feb 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6cm5-532j-c584

## What is CVE-2016-9338?

CVE-2016-9338 is a low-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1100 and 1400, published on 13 Feb 2017. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 controller 1763-L16AWA, Series A and B, Version 14.000 and prior versions; 1763-L16BBB, Series A and B, Version 14.000 and prior versions; 1763-L16BWA, Series A and B, Version 14.000 and prior versions; and 1763-L16DWD, Series A and B, Version 14.000 and prior versions. Because of an Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, users with administrator privileges may be able to remove all administrative users requiring a factory reset to restore ancillary web server function. Exploitation of this vulnerability will still allow the affected device to function in its capacity as a controller.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-9338?

It affects 20 products.


Products: Rockwellautomation 1763-L16awa Series A, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16awa Series B, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16bbb Series A, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16bbb Series B, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16bwa Series A, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16bwa Series B, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16dwd Series A, Rockwellautomation 1763-L16dwd Series B, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32awa Series A, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32awa Series B, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32awaa Series A, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32awaa Series B, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bwa Series A, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bwa Series B, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bwaa Series A, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bwaa Series B, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bxb Series A, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bxb Series B, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bxba Series A, Rockwellautomation 1766-L32bxba Series B.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-9338?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-9338 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-9338 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-9338 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1100 and 1400

- [CVE-2017-7898](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7898/): Auth bypass in Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-7899](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7899/): Information disclosure in Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-7902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7902/): Weak cryptography in Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-7903](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7903/): Weak cryptography in Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-0868](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-0868/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-9338 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-9338 is a low-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1100 and 1400, published on 13 Feb 2017. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-9338 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1100 and 1400. 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-2016-9338/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9338/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-9338
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9338
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-9338

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9338/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.