CVE-2023-40465 in ALEOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/05/2023
Several versions of ALEOS, including ALEOS 4.16.0, include an opensource
third-party component which can be exploited from the local
area network, resulting in a Denial of Service condition for the captive portal.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2023
CVE-2023-40465 represents a critical vulnerability affecting ALEOS versions 4.16.0 and potentially other releases within the same lineage. This vulnerability stems from the integration of an open-source third-party component that has been compromised through inadequate security vetting during the software development lifecycle. The flaw exists within the captive portal functionality of the ALEOS platform, which serves as a gateway for network access control and user authentication. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers positioned within the local area network to trigger a denial of service condition that effectively disrupts the captive portal services, rendering network access control mechanisms ineffective. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation and inadequate security controls for third-party components, which falls under the weakness category of CWE-476 Null Pointer Dereference and CWE-94 Code Injection. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network infrastructure security as it allows local network attackers to cause service disruption without requiring elevated privileges or complex attack vectors. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption, as the captive portal is often used for critical network access control, user authentication, and compliance enforcement within enterprise and institutional environments. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal network proximity, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local network access is not strictly controlled. The affected ALEOS platform's captive portal functionality typically handles user authentication requests, session management, and network access policies, all of which become compromised when the denial of service condition is triggered. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad, specifically targeting the availability of network access control services. The issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 Network Denial of Service, which focuses on disrupting network services through various means including exploiting software vulnerabilities. Organizations utilizing ALEOS 4.16.0 or similar versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including network segmentation to limit local network access, implementing firewall rules to restrict access to captive portal services, and applying vendor-supplied patches or updates. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of all third-party components integrated into their systems to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future releases. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of supply chain security and proper third-party component vetting processes. Network administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual patterns of captive portal service disruptions that could indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include not only patching the specific vulnerability but also establishing comprehensive security controls for all integrated third-party libraries and components to prevent future incidents of similar nature.