CVE-2023-3262 in iBoot-PDU
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2023
The Dataprobe iBoot PDU running firmware version 1.43.03312023 or earlier uses hard-coded credentials for all interactions with the internal Postgres database.A malicious agent with the ability to execute operating system commands on the device can leverage this vulnerability to read, modify, or delete arbitrary database records.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2023
The Dataprobe iBoot PDU represents a critical network infrastructure device used for power distribution management in data centers and enterprise environments. This device operates with firmware version 1.43.03312023 or earlier, which contains a fundamental security flaw involving hard-coded credentials for database access. The vulnerability stems from the device's design where default authentication credentials are embedded within the firmware code rather than being dynamically generated or securely stored. This configuration violates security best practices and creates a persistent backdoor that remains exploitable across device reboots and firmware updates.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows for unauthorized database access through the device's internal Postgres database system. When an attacker gains the ability to execute operating system commands on the device, they can leverage the hard-coded credentials to establish database connections without requiring additional authentication factors. This privilege escalation path enables the malicious actor to perform arbitrary read, modify, or delete operations on database records that contain critical power management configurations, device logs, and operational data. The vulnerability specifically affects the database interaction layer of the device, bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and creating a persistent access vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it compromises the integrity and availability of critical power management infrastructure. Attackers can manipulate power distribution settings, modify device configurations, or extract sensitive operational data that could reveal network topology, power consumption patterns, or security configurations. This vulnerability directly impacts the device's ability to maintain secure operations and can potentially lead to service disruption, unauthorized power control, or data exfiltration. The hard-coded nature of the credentials means that this vulnerability affects all devices running the specified firmware version, creating a widespread risk across deployments.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from Dataprobe to address the hard-coded credential issue and implement proper authentication mechanisms. Organizations should conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected devices and prioritize remediation efforts. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit physical and network access to these devices. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software, and represents a significant risk under ATT&CK framework domain T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering tactics. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure credential management practices and the need for dynamic authentication mechanisms in embedded systems, particularly those handling critical infrastructure operations.