# CVE-2022-2848: Memory corruption in KEPServerEX

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges on Kepware KEPServerEX via a heap-based buffer overflow in text encoding handling.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 18 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f952-wvmx-6w24

## What is CVE-2022-2848?

CVE-2022-2848 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Kepware KEPServerEX, published on 29 Mar 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Kepware KEPServerEX 6.11.718.0. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of text encoding conversions. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-16486.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-2848?

It affects 8 products.


Products: Ge Industrial Gateway Server, Ptc Kepware Kepserverex, Ptc Opc-Aggregator, Ptc Thingworx Industrial Connectivity, Ptc Thingworx Kepware Edge, Ptc Thingworx Kepware Server, Rockwellautomation Kepserver Enterprise, Softwaretoolbox Top Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-2848?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-2848 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-2848 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-2848 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Kepware KEPServerEX

- [CVE-2022-2825](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2825/): Memory corruption in KEPServerEX (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-27265](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27265/): Memory corruption in PTC Kepware KEPServerEX; ThingWorx Industrial Connectivity; OPC-Aggregator; Rockwell Automation KEPServer Enterprise; GE Digital Industrial Gateway Server; Software Toolbox TOP Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-5908](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5908/): Heap Based Buffer Overflow in PTC KEPServerEx (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2020-27263](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27263/): Memory corruption in GE Digital Industrial Gateway Server (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2020-27267](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27267/): Memory corruption in GE Digital Industrial Gateway Server (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-2848 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-2848 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Kepware KEPServerEX, published on 29 Mar 2023. 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-2022-2848 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Kepware KEPServerEX. 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-2022-2848/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2848/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-2848
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-2848
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-2848

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2848/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.