CVE-2023-43843 in PE6208
Summary
by MITRE • 05/28/2024
Incorrect access control in the account management function of web interface in Aten PE6208 2.3.228 and 2.4.232 allows remote authenticated users to read user and administrator accounts passwords via HTTP GET request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-43843 represents a critical access control flaw within the web interface of Aten PE6208 network management devices running firmware versions 2.3.228 and 2.4.232. This issue stems from inadequate authorization checks in the account management functionality, creating a path for remote authenticated attackers to exploit the system and extract sensitive credential information. The flaw specifically affects the HTTP GET request mechanism used to retrieve account data, demonstrating a fundamental failure in the application's privilege enforcement mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper access control validation within the web interface's account management module. When authenticated users make HTTP GET requests to specific endpoints, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges to access administrative account credentials. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checking, which can be categorized under CWE-285 - Improper Authorization. The vulnerability allows attackers who have already established authentication credentials to escalate their privileges and access password information for both regular user accounts and administrative accounts without proper authorization.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to network security infrastructure as it enables attackers to obtain administrative credentials that could provide complete control over the affected device. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access or network proximity to the device, making the attack surface significantly larger. Once compromised, the attacker could potentially use these credentials to modify device configurations, access network resources, or establish persistent access points within the network environment. The impact extends beyond the immediate device as administrative credentials often provide access to multiple systems within the network.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation. Attackers could leverage this flaw to move laterally within the network by using obtained credentials to access other systems, potentially leading to broader compromise of the enterprise environment. The vulnerability also intersects with techniques involving web application exploitation and information disclosure, as the attacker gains unauthorized access to sensitive data through web interface interactions. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual HTTP GET requests to detect potential exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from Aten to address the access control implementation flaw, as well as implementing network-level controls to restrict access to administrative interfaces. Organizations should also enforce strict network segmentation policies to limit the potential impact of credential compromise. Additional defensive measures include implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts, establishing robust monitoring for anomalous access patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of network management interfaces. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper access control implementation and highlights the necessity of regular security testing of network infrastructure devices to identify and remediate similar authorization flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors.