CVE-2024-36980VulnerabilityPublished 18 Sep 2024Updated 4 Nov 2025

CVE-2024-36980: OpenPLC_v3 · Out-of-bounds Read

Affects OpenPLC_v3Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.5High

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 1.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 65% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the impacted component.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 Sep 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-25.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

1. Network Segmentation: Isolate OpenPLC devices and their management interfaces from general enterprise networks and the internet. Use VLANs and firewalls to restrict EtherNet/IP traffic to trusted sources only. 2. Intrusion Detection and Prevention: Deploy network monitoring tools capable of detecting anomalous EtherNet/IP traffic patterns and malformed PCCC requests indicative of exploitation attempts. 3. Access Controls: Restrict access to OpenPLC runtime systems to authorized personnel and systems only, using strong authentication and VPNs for remote access. 4. Patch Management: Monitor OpenPLC project updates closely for patches addressing CVE-2024-36980 and apply them promptly once available. 5. Incident Response Planning: Prepare and test response procedures for potential DoS incidents affecting industrial control systems to minimize downtime. 6. Vendor Engagement: Engage with OpenPLC developers or vendors for guidance, potential workarounds, or interim fixes. 7. Configuration Hardening: Disable or limit EtherNet/IP PCCC parser functionality if not required for operational needs to reduce attack surface. 8. Logging and Forensics: Enable detailed logging on OpenPLC devices to facilitate detection and investigation of suspicious activities related to this vulnerability.

Description

An out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in the OpenPLC Runtime EtherNet/IP PCCC parser functionality of OpenPLC_v3 b4702061dc14d1024856f71b4543298d77007b88. A specially crafted network request can lead to denial of service. An attacker can send a series of EtherNet/IP requests to trigger this vulnerability.This is the first instance of the incorrect comparison.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2024-36980 is denial of service, which can cause industrial control systems running OpenPLC_v3 to crash or become unresponsive. For European organizations, especially those operating critical infrastructure such as manufacturing plants, energy grids, water treatment facilities, and transportation systems that utilize OpenPLC for automation, this vulnerability poses a significant operational risk. Disruption of PLC operations can halt production lines, cause safety system failures, or interrupt essential services, potentially leading to economic losses and safety hazards. Since the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication or user interaction, attackers can launch attacks from outside the network perimeter, increasing the threat surface. Although no data confidentiality or integrity is compromised, the loss of availability in industrial environments can have cascading effects on supply chains and public safety. The lack of known exploits in the wild provides a window for mitigation, but the high severity score indicates that exploitation is feasible and impactful.

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read (opens in a new tab)
Base weaknessCWE Top 25 (2025): #8
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
Implementation · Input Validation
Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.
Architecture and Design · Language Selection
Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
XML Security (opens in a new tab)
Mass Assignment (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V13.3.1 (opens in a new tab)
V5.1.4 (opens in a new tab)
V5.1.3 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Overread Buffers (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 4 Nov 2025, 17:12 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-125

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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