CVE-2023-2809 in 200 Spain
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Plaintext credential usage vulnerability in Sage 200 Spain 2023.38.001 version, the exploitation of which could allow a remote attacker to extract SQL database credentials from the DLL application. This vulnerability could be linked to known techniques to obtain remote execution of MS SQL commands and escalate privileges on Windows systems because the credentials are stored in plaintext.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2809 represents a critical plaintext credential storage issue within Sage 200 Spain 2023.38.001 software, where database authentication credentials are improperly stored in a readable format within dynamic link library components. This flaw directly violates security best practices and creates a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to corporate financial databases. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper credential encryption or obfuscation mechanisms, allowing attackers to extract sensitive authentication information through straightforward file analysis techniques. According to the CWE classification system, this vulnerability maps to CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information, which specifically addresses the improper storage of confidential data in an easily readable format. The technical implementation flaw occurs at the application layer where database connection strings containing username and password information are embedded directly within the DLL modules without adequate protection measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass potential full system compromise through remote code execution pathways. Attackers exploiting this weakness can leverage the extracted SQL database credentials to establish unauthorized database connections and execute malicious SQL commands against the target system. This capability enables attackers to escalate privileges and potentially gain administrative access to the underlying Windows infrastructure, as the database credentials often possess elevated permissions necessary for system-level operations. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where such applications may be exposed to external networks. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as the vulnerability may be exploited through malicious attachments or network-based attacks that target the application's DLL components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-2809 should prioritize immediate implementation of credential encryption mechanisms within the application's data storage components, following the principle of least privilege for database access. Organizations should implement database connection string encryption using industry-standard cryptographic libraries and ensure that all authentication credentials are stored in encrypted formats rather than plaintext. The remediation process should include comprehensive application patching to address the root cause of the vulnerability, with additional network segmentation measures to limit exposure of the affected application to untrusted networks. Security teams must also implement monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to database resources using compromised credentials, as well as establish regular security audits to identify other potential plaintext credential storage issues within the organization's software portfolio. Additionally, implementing multi-factor authentication for database access and regular credential rotation procedures will significantly reduce the impact of any credential compromise that might still occur despite these protective measures.