CVE-2024-9684 identifies a vulnerability in the FreyrSCADA IEC-60870-5-104 server version 21.06.008, specifically related to improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer (CWE-119). This type of vulnerability typically arises when software fails to adequately validate or restrict memory operations, such as reads or writes, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption. In this case, the vulnerability can be triggered remotely by sending specially crafted message sequences to the IEC-60870-5-104 server, a protocol widely used in industrial control systems (ICS) and SCADA environments for telecontrol and telemetry in electric power systems. The flaw does not require any authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network. Successful exploitation results in a denial of service (DoS) condition, causing the affected server to crash or become unresponsive, thereby disrupting the availability of critical control systems. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5, reflecting its high severity due to network attack vector, no required privileges, and no user interaction, combined with a high impact on availability but no impact on confidentiality or integrity. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to industrial environments that rely on FreyrSCADA IEC-60870-5-104 for operational control and monitoring. The absence of available patches at the time of publication necessitates immediate attention to mitigation strategies to prevent potential exploitation.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-9684 is a denial of service condition that can disrupt the availability of industrial control systems using FreyrSCADA IEC-60870-5-104 servers. For European organizations, especially those in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, utilities, and manufacturing, this disruption can lead to operational downtime, loss of control over critical processes, and potential cascading effects on dependent systems and services. The inability to maintain continuous monitoring and control could also increase safety risks and regulatory compliance issues. Given the remote exploitability without authentication, attackers could launch DoS attacks from external networks, potentially causing widespread outages. This threat is particularly concerning for European countries with extensive deployments of IEC-60870-5-104 in their power grid and industrial automation systems. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity score indicates that exploitation could have serious consequences for system availability and operational continuity.

1. Monitor vendor communications closely for the release of official patches or updates addressing CVE-2024-9684 and apply them promptly once available. 2. Implement network segmentation to isolate FreyrSCADA IEC-60870-5-104 servers from untrusted networks, limiting exposure to potential attackers. 3. Deploy strict firewall rules and deep packet inspection to filter and block malformed or suspicious IEC-60870-5-104 message sequences that could trigger the vulnerability. 4. Utilize intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or anomaly detection capabilities tailored to IEC-60870-5-104 traffic to identify and mitigate attack attempts. 5. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on SCADA and ICS environments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. 6. Establish incident response plans specific to ICS DoS scenarios to ensure rapid recovery and continuity of operations. 7. Train operational technology (OT) personnel on recognizing signs of exploitation and proper reporting procedures. 8. Consider deploying redundant systems or failover mechanisms to maintain availability in case of service disruption.