CVE-2018-5459
CWE-287Published: February 13, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
An Improper Authentication issue was discovered in WAGO PFC200 Series 3S CoDeSys Runtime versions 2.3.X and 2.4.X. An attacker can execute different unauthenticated remote operations because of the CoDeSys Runtime application, which is available via network by default on Port 2455. An attacker could execute some unauthenticated commands such as reading, writing, or deleting arbitrary files, or manipulate the PLC application during runtime by sending specially-crafted TCP packets to Port 2455.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2018-5459 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-287)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2018-5459 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts