CVE-2023-28563 in 4 Gen 1 Mobile Platform
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2023
Information disclosure in IOE Firmware while handling WMI command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-28563 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within IOE firmware systems that specifically manifests during the handling of Windows Management Instrumentation commands. This weakness resides in the firmware layer of industrial I/O equipment where proper input validation and access control mechanisms fail to adequately protect sensitive system information. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of WMI command parameters, allowing malicious actors to potentially extract confidential data through crafted command sequences that bypass normal security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the firmware's inadequate processing of WMI requests which are typically used for system management and monitoring purposes. When the IOE firmware receives WMI commands, it fails to properly validate or sanitize the input parameters before proceeding with internal operations. This creates an attack surface where unauthorized information disclosure can occur through improper data handling mechanisms within the firmware's command processing pipeline. The vulnerability specifically affects systems that utilize WMI for configuration management, performance monitoring, or diagnostic functions, making it particularly dangerous in industrial environments where firmware security is paramount.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability compromises the confidentiality of sensitive system information that may include device configuration details, operational parameters, firmware version information, and potentially proprietary industrial control data. The information disclosure could enable attackers to gain insights into system architecture, identify potential attack vectors, or extract data that could be used for further exploitation. In industrial control systems, this could lead to operational disruption, security breaches, or even physical safety risks depending on the nature of the disclosed information and the criticality of the affected systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with improper input validation patterns that are commonly exploited in firmware security attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance activities where adversaries seek to gather system information to plan further attacks. Organizations should implement immediate firmware updates from vendors to address this vulnerability, establish network segmentation to limit WMI access, and conduct thorough security assessments of their industrial control systems to identify similar information disclosure weaknesses. Additionally, monitoring for unusual WMI activity and implementing proper access controls for WMI interfaces can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts while maintaining operational continuity in critical infrastructure environments.