CVE-2020-12498

mediumpriority · track · 32EPSS 0.021 · 82 %ileDEEURUUS

grimoire priorityP3 · Track

Exploitable?

—

no known exploitation

Likely / severe?

2.11% (82nd) EPSS

CVSS 6.8 · medium

Is it mine?

13 products

Check your exposure

Who says so?

6 sources

cnnvd · enisa_euvd · fstec_bdu · cisa_csaf_ot

EPSS · scored 2026-10-27

mwe file parsing in Phoenix Contact PC Worx and PC Worx Express version 1.87 and earlier is vulnerable to out-of-bounds read remote code execution. Manipulated PC Worx projects could lead to a remote code execution due to insufficient input data validation.

remediations

Vendor fix, mitigation, or workaround guidance, as published by each source.

A vendor fix is available.

Fixedphoenix_contact_psirt
With the next version of Automation Worx Software Suite a sharpened input data validation with respect to buffer size and description of size and number of objects referenced in a file will be implemented.
Mitigationphoenix_contact_psirt
We strongly recommend customers to exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email. In addition, we recommend exchanging or storing project files together with a checksum to ensure their integrity.
MitigationPC Worxcisa_csaf_ot
Phoenix Contact recommends users exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email. In addition, we recommend exchanging or storing project files together with a checksum to ensure their integrity.
MitigationPC Worx Expresscisa_csaf_ot
Phoenix Contact recommends users exchange project files only using secure file exchange services. Project files should not be exchanged via unencrypted email. In addition, we recommend exchanging or storing project files together with a checksum to ensure their integrity.

cvss

Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.

7.8

010

base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 6.8–7.8

v2.06.8mediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:Pprimary · NVD / NIST USexploitability 8.6 · impact 6.4

v3.17.8highCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hprimary · NVD / NIST USexploitability 1.8 · impact 5.9

v3.07.8highCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hsecondary · CISA US

v3.17.3highAV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hsecondary · FSTEC (BDU) RU

v3.17.8highCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hsecondary · ENISA EU

v3.17.8highCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hsecondary · info@cert.vde.comexploitability 1.8 · impact 5.9

v3.17.8highCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hsecondary · Phoenix Contact PSIRT DE

v3.17.1highCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:Usecondary · CVSS-BT (t0sche)

weaknesses

The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.

CWE-125USprimaryCWE-121USCWE-121USCWE-121USCWE-125USCWE-125US

affected products (13)

Products and version ranges known to be affected.

PC Worx Express: version 1.87 and priorall versionscisa_csaf_otUS
PC Worx: version 1.87 and priorall versionscisa_csaf_otUS
PHOENIX CONTACT PC Worx≤ 1.87cisa_csaf_otUS
PHOENIX CONTACT PC Worx Express≤ 1.87cisa_csaf_otUS
PHOENIX CONTACT Automation Worx≤ unspecified ≤1.87enisa_euvdEU
PHOENIX CONTACT Automation Worx Express≤ unspecified ≤1.87enisa_euvdEU
Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG Automation Worx Software Suite≤ 1.87fstec_bduRU
phoenixcontact pc worx< 1.87nvdUScpe:2.3:a:phoenixcontact:pc_worx:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
phoenixcontact pc worx express≤ 1.87nvdUScpe:2.3:a:phoenixcontact:pc_worx_express:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
PHOENIX CONTACT PC Worx≤ 1.87phoenix_contact_psirtDE
PHOENIX CONTACT PC Worx Express≤ 1.87phoenix_contact_psirtDE
PHOENIX CONTACT Software PC Worx <=1.87≤ 1.87phoenix_contact_psirtDE
PHOENIX CONTACT Software PC Worx Express <=1.87≤ 1.87phoenix_contact_psirtDE

advisories (2)

Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.

VDE-2020-023PHOENIX CONTACT: Two Vulnerabilities in Automation Worx Suite2020-07-01csaf · phoenix_contact_psirtDE
Manipulated PC Worx projects could lead to a remote code execution due to insufficient input data validation. The attacker needs to get access to an original PC Worx project to be able to manipulate data inside the project folder. After manipulation the attacker needs to exchange the original files by the manipulated ones on the application programming workstation.
ICSA-20-191-01Phoenix Contact Automation Worx Software Suite2020-07-09icsa · cisa_csaf_otUS
Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code under the privileges of the application.

also known as (4)

Other names and identifiers for this entity.

sources

Which sources assert this record, and when.

cnnvd enisa_euvd fstec_bdu cisa_csaf_ot nvd phoenix_contact_psirt NVD CVE.org MITRE

published 2020-07-01modified 2026-06-17

related (11,874)

Related entries.

ID	severity	EPSS	exploitable	published
CVE-2026-11645US	—OT critical	2.44% (84th)	KEV	2026-06-09
Out of bounds read and write in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 149.0.7827.103 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium…
CVE-2026-3055US	critical9.8OT critical	91.5% (100th)	KEV	2026-03-23
Insufficient input validation in NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway when configured as a SAML IDP leading to memory overread
CVE-2025-5777US	high7.5OT critical	100.0% (100th)	KEV	2025-06-17
Insufficient input validation leading to memory overread when the NetScaler is configured as a Gateway (VPN virtual server, ICA Proxy, CVPN, RDP Proxy) OR AAA virtual server
CVE-2025-5419US	—OT critical	7.82% (95th)	KEV	2025-06-03
Out of bounds read and write in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 137.0.7151.68 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium secur…
CVE-2025-24991US	—OT critical	2.02% (81st)	KEV	2025-03-11
Out-of-bounds read in Windows NTFS allows an authorized attacker to disclose information locally.

+11869 more

references (11)

External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.

scry

Attackers weaponise vulnerabilities like this against internet-exposed services. See what is exposed on your perimeter with a free passive scan.

Free scan