CVE-2023-41133 in Secure Admin IP Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2024
Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerability in Michal Novák Secure Admin IP allows Functionality Bypass.This issue affects Secure Admin IP: from n/a through 2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2026
The identified security flaw represents a critical authentication bypass mechanism within the Secure Admin IP software suite, specifically affecting versions ranging from initial releases up to version 2.0. This vulnerability is classified as an Authentication Bypass by Spoofing issue, which fundamentally undermines the integrity of the access control mechanisms designed to protect administrative interfaces. In this context, the term spoofing refers to the attacker's ability to impersonate a legitimate entity or system component during the authentication handshake process. By exploiting weaknesses in how the application validates source identities or session tokens, an adversary can trick the server into granting elevated privileges without providing valid credentials. This type of flaw is particularly dangerous because it allows unauthorized users to bypass security controls entirely rather than attempting to crack them through brute force or credential stuffing attacks.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability likely stems from insufficient validation of incoming requests regarding their origin or authentication state. The application may rely on trust relationships that are easily manipulated, such as accepting IP addresses or headers without verifying their authenticity against a trusted source list. Alternatively, the flaw could involve improper handling of session identifiers where an attacker can predict or reuse valid tokens to assume another user's identity. This failure in input validation and authentication logic allows the execution of administrative functions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. The impact is severe as it leads directly to functionality bypass, meaning that any feature protected by standard login procedures becomes accessible to unauthenticated actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access. Once an attacker gains entry through spoofing, they can manipulate system configurations, exfiltrate sensitive data, or install malicious payloads with administrative privileges. This compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the entire infrastructure managed by Secure Admin IP. In enterprise environments, such a breach could lead to significant financial loss, regulatory non-compliance, and reputational damage. The ability to bypass authentication means that traditional perimeter defenses like firewalls may be rendered ineffective if they rely solely on network-level trust rather than application-layer verification.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required for all systems running Secure Admin IP versions prior to 2.1 or later patches addressing this specific flaw. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to the latest stable version where the authentication logic has been hardened against spoofing techniques. In addition to patching, implementing multi-factor authentication adds a critical layer of defense that remains effective even if password-based or token-based mechanisms are compromised. Network segmentation and strict access control lists can also limit the blast radius by ensuring that administrative interfaces are only accessible from trusted IP ranges using mutual TLS verification. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on authentication flows will help identify similar weaknesses before they can be exploited in production environments.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-287, which covers Improper Authentication, specifically the sub-case of identity spoofing or impersonation. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, where adversaries use legitimate credentials or identities to maintain access and move laterally within a network. Understanding these mappings helps in aligning remediation efforts with broader industry standards for vulnerability management and threat intelligence integration.