CVE-2024-9852 is an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability (CWE-427) present in all versions of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's GENESIS64, GENESIS32, MC Works64, ICONICS Suite, and related products. These products are widely used in industrial automation, SCADA, and building management systems. The vulnerability arises because the software improperly handles the search path for dynamic link libraries (DLLs), allowing a local authenticated attacker to place a malicious DLL in a specific folder that the application loads. This can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected application. The attacker does not require elevated privileges beyond local authentication and does not need user interaction to exploit the flaw. Successful exploitation can result in disclosure, modification, or destruction of sensitive data, as well as denial of service conditions, severely impacting operational technology environments. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and privileges required. No patches or known exploits are currently available, making proactive mitigation critical. The vulnerability affects all versions of the listed products, indicating a systemic issue in the software's DLL loading mechanism.

For European organizations, especially those operating in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, manufacturing, transportation, and building management, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized control or disruption of industrial processes, resulting in operational downtime, safety hazards, and potential regulatory non-compliance. The ability to execute arbitrary code locally could allow attackers to pivot within networks, escalate privileges, or exfiltrate sensitive operational data. Given the widespread use of Mitsubishi Electric's GENESIS and ICONICS products in European industrial environments, the impact could extend to national critical infrastructure, causing economic and safety repercussions. The denial of service potential could interrupt essential services, while data tampering could undermine trust in automated control systems. The requirement for local authentication limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as insider threats or compromised credentials could be leveraged.

European organizations should immediately implement strict access controls to limit local user permissions on systems running affected Mitsubishi Electric software. Employ application whitelisting and integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized DLLs or changes in critical directories. Network segmentation should isolate industrial control systems from general IT networks to reduce the risk of lateral movement. Regularly audit and monitor logs for suspicious local activity indicative of DLL planting attempts. Engage with Mitsubishi Electric for timely updates and patches once released, and plan for rapid deployment. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions tailored for industrial environments to detect anomalous behaviors. Additionally, implement multi-factor authentication for local access where possible to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Conduct user training to raise awareness about the risks of local privilege misuse. Finally, develop and test incident response plans specific to industrial control system compromises.