CVE-2022-43377 in NetBotz
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
A CWE-307: Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts vulnerability exists that could cause account takeover when a brute force attack is performed on the account.
Affected Products: NetBotz 4 - 355/450/455/550/570 (V4.7.0
and prior)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-43377 represents a critical security flaw classified under CWE-307, which specifically addresses improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts. This weakness in the NetBotz 4 series network monitoring appliances creates a significant pathway for unauthorized account access through brute force attacks. The affected devices include models 355/450/455/550/570 running firmware versions v4.7.0 and earlier, making them susceptible to systematic credential guessing attempts that could lead to complete administrative control over the affected systems. The vulnerability stems from insufficient rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms that should normally prevent attackers from repeatedly attempting authentication with multiple credential combinations.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows attackers to perform repeated authentication attempts without adequate system controls to detect or prevent such activities. In the context of network monitoring appliances like NetBotz devices, this creates a particularly dangerous scenario since these systems often contain sensitive operational data and may control critical infrastructure monitoring functions. The lack of proper authentication throttling mechanisms means that an attacker can systematically work through password dictionaries or generate random credential combinations without encountering system-imposed delays or account lockouts that would normally deter such attacks. This vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles outlined in the NIST SP 800-63 standard for authentication assurance levels, which specifically requires robust protection against automated attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential disruption of critical monitoring operations and data integrity compromise. When attackers successfully exploit this weakness, they gain administrative privileges that could allow them to modify monitoring configurations, access sensitive environmental data, manipulate alerts, or even disable security features within the NetBotz appliance. This represents a severe escalation from a simple credential theft scenario to a full system compromise that could affect the broader network infrastructure the appliance monitors. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003 for Brute Force, demonstrating how the lack of proper account lockout mechanisms creates a direct pathway for credential compromise that could be leveraged in broader attack campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-43377 must prioritize immediate firmware updates to versions that address the authentication restriction weaknesses. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate affected NetBotz appliances from critical network segments and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual authentication patterns that might indicate brute force attempts. Additional protective measures include configuring external authentication systems with strong account lockout policies, implementing multi-factor authentication where possible, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect rapid authentication attempts. The remediation process should also include comprehensive inventory management to identify all affected devices and ensure proper patching across the entire deployment. Security teams should consider implementing temporary network controls such as firewall rules that limit access to authentication ports and establish baseline monitoring for failed authentication attempts that exceed normal operational thresholds.