Hitachi Energy MACH HiDraw (CVE-2026-7310)
Hitachi Energy MACH HiDraw versions 9.22 and prior contain a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CVE-2026-7310, CVSS 5.5) in their XML parser functionality. An authenticated local attacker can exploit this by tricking a user into opening a crafted XML file, potentially leading to denial of service or arbitrary code execution.
Authors: CISA, Hitachi Energy PSIRT
Detection / HunterGoogle
What Happened
A security vulnerability has been discovered in Hitachi Energy's MACH HiDraw software, which is used in critical infrastructure sectors like energy and transportation. The flaw affects versions 9.22 and older. If an attacker with local access tricks a user into opening a specially crafted XML file, it could crash the application or allow the attacker to run malicious code. Hitachi Energy has released version 9.23 to fix this issue. Organizations using this software should contact their account team to upgrade and ensure their control systems are isolated from the internet.
Key Takeaways
- Hitachi Energy MACH HiDraw versions 9.22 and prior are affected by a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CVE-2026-7310).
- Exploitation requires local access and an authenticated user to open a specially crafted XML file.
- Successful exploitation can lead to application crashes (denial of service) and potential arbitrary code execution.
- Hitachi Energy has released version 9.23 to address this vulnerability.
Affected Systems
- Hitachi Energy MACH HiDraw version 9.22 and prior
Vulnerabilities (CVEs)
- CVE-2026-7310
Attack Chain
An authenticated attacker with local access to a system running Hitachi Energy MACH HiDraw creates a specially crafted XML file. The attacker then opens or tricks a user into opening this file within the application. The XML parser processes the malformed file, triggering a heap-based buffer overflow. This results in memory corruption, leading to an application crash (denial of service) or potential arbitrary code execution.
Detection Availability
- YARA Rules: No
- Sigma Rules: No
- Snort/Suricata Rules: No
- KQL Queries: No
- Splunk SPL Queries: No
- EQL Queries: No
- Other Detection Logic: No
No specific detection rules are provided in the advisory.
Detection Engineering Assessment
EDR Visibility: Medium — EDR solutions may detect application crashes (HiDraw process) or unexpected child processes spawning from the HiDraw application if arbitrary code execution is successfully achieved. Network Visibility: None — The vulnerability is exploited locally via a crafted XML file; no network traffic is inherently generated by the exploit itself. Detection Difficulty: Hard — Detecting the specific buffer overflow requires deep inspection of XML files or memory monitoring, which is difficult without specific signatures. Post-exploitation behavior is easier to detect but relies on the attacker executing secondary payloads.
Required Log Sources
- Application crash logs (Windows Error Reporting)
- Process creation logs (Event ID 4688 / Sysmon Event ID 1)
Hunting Hypotheses
| Hypothesis | Telemetry | ATT&CK Stage | FP Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| If you have visibility into process execution, consider hunting for unexpected child processes spawning from the MACH HiDraw application executable, which may indicate successful arbitrary code execution. | Process creation logs (EDR or Sysmon) | Execution | Low |
| Consider hunting for repeated application crash events (e.g., Windows Error Reporting) associated with the MACH HiDraw process, which could indicate failed exploitation attempts. | Application event logs | Execution | Medium |
Control Gaps
- Lack of strict XML schema validation
- Potential lack of memory protection mechanisms in the application
Key Behavioral Indicators
- Unexpected child processes of the HiDraw executable
- Application crash dumps for the HiDraw executable
False Positive Assessment
- Low
Recommendations
Immediate Mitigation
- Verify against your organization's incident response runbook and team escalation paths before acting.
- Contact your local Hitachi Energy account team to plan an upgrade to MACH HiDraw version 9.23.
Infrastructure Hardening
- Ensure process control systems are physically protected from direct access by unauthorized personnel.
- Isolate control system networks and remote devices behind firewalls, ensuring they are not accessible from the internet.
- Restrict the use of portable computers and removable storage media, scanning them for viruses before connecting to a control system.
- If remote access is required, evaluate the use of secure methods such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), ensuring they are updated to the most recent version.
User Protection
- Enforce strict password policies and access controls to limit local access to authenticated users only.
Security Awareness
- Train operators to avoid opening untrusted or unverified XML files within the MACH HiDraw environment.
- Reinforce policies against using process control systems for internet surfing, instant messaging, or receiving emails.
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
- T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution
- T1204.002 - User Execution: Malicious File
