CVE-2024-22041 is a buffer overflow vulnerability categorized under CWE-119, found in the network communication library of Siemens Cerberus PRO EN Engineering Tool and multiple related fire safety products including Cerberus PRO EN Fire Panels (FC72x series), X200 and X300 Cloud Distribution systems, UL Compact Panels, and Sinteso FS20 EN series. The flaw arises from improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer when parsing X.509 certificates used in network communications. This improper handling can be triggered remotely without authentication, allowing an attacker to send specially crafted certificate data that causes a buffer overflow, leading to a crash of the network service. The impact is a denial-of-service (DoS) condition, potentially disrupting fire safety monitoring and control systems. The vulnerability affects all versions of some products and specific versions prior to certain maintenance packs or software releases in others. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and high impact on availability. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability’s nature and affected critical infrastructure products make it a significant concern. Siemens has published the vulnerability with a reserved date in early 2024 and is expected to release patches or updates to address the issue. The vulnerability’s exploitation could affect the reliability and availability of fire safety systems, which are critical for building safety and emergency response.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-22041 is the potential disruption of fire safety and building protection systems. Siemens Cerberus PRO and Sinteso FS20 products are widely deployed in commercial buildings, industrial facilities, and critical infrastructure across Europe. A successful attack could cause denial-of-service conditions, disabling fire panel communications and cloud distribution systems, thereby impairing fire detection, alarm signaling, and emergency response coordination. This could lead to increased safety risks, regulatory non-compliance, and operational downtime. Organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, healthcare, and public administration are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on these systems for safety and compliance. Additionally, the unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the risk of opportunistic attacks from external threat actors. The disruption of fire safety systems could also have cascading effects on insurance liabilities and reputational damage. Given the criticality of these systems, even temporary outages could have severe consequences for human safety and business continuity.

1. Apply Siemens-provided patches or software updates as soon as they become available for all affected products and engineering tools. Monitor Siemens security advisories closely. 2. Restrict network access to the affected fire safety devices and engineering tools by implementing network segmentation and firewall rules that limit communication to trusted management stations and known IP addresses. 3. Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor for anomalous certificate parsing or malformed network traffic targeting these devices. 4. Conduct regular audits of fire safety system configurations and firmware versions to ensure no outdated or vulnerable versions remain in operation. 5. Use network-level authentication and encryption where possible to reduce exposure to unauthenticated remote attacks. 6. Develop and test incident response plans specifically addressing potential denial-of-service scenarios affecting fire safety infrastructure. 7. Engage with Siemens support for guidance on interim mitigations if patches are delayed. 8. Educate operational technology (OT) and security teams about this vulnerability to increase awareness and readiness.