CVE-2023-44096 in HarmonyOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Vulnerability of brute-force attacks on the device authentication module.Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may affect service confidentiality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2023
The CVE-2023-44096 vulnerability represents a significant security weakness in device authentication mechanisms that enables brute-force attack vectors. This flaw resides within the authentication module of affected systems, creating an exploitable condition where attackers can systematically attempt multiple credential combinations to gain unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically targets the device authentication process, which serves as the primary gatekeeper for system access controls and service protection. Organizations relying on affected devices face potential compromise of their security infrastructure, particularly when authentication mechanisms lack adequate protection against repetitive attack attempts.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient rate limiting, account lockout mechanisms, or weak credential validation processes within the authentication module. Attackers can leverage automated tools to rapidly iterate through username and password combinations, exploiting the absence of proper defensive measures such as account lockout after failed attempts or temporal delays between authentication attempts. This brute-force capability directly undermines the fundamental security principle of access control by allowing unauthorized parties to bypass legitimate authentication procedures through sheer computational force. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-307, which addresses improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts, and represents a classic example of weak authentication design that enables credential stuffing and password spraying attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-44096 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation directly threatens service confidentiality and potentially leads to broader system compromise. When attackers gain access through brute-force methods, they can potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive data, or use compromised devices as entry points for lateral movement within network environments. The confidentiality of services becomes compromised as unauthorized entities can access protected resources, potentially exposing proprietary information, user data, or operational details that should remain restricted. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where device authentication is critical for service protection, including IoT deployments, industrial control systems, and enterprise network infrastructure where device-level authentication controls are paramount.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including robust account lockout policies with progressive delays between authentication attempts, implementation of rate limiting mechanisms, and deployment of multi-factor authentication where possible. The solution approach should align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to credential access and defense evasion, particularly T1110 for Brute Force and T1566 for Phishing, as these techniques often involve similar exploitation patterns. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems and authentication firewalls can help detect and block suspicious authentication patterns. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that authentication modules properly implement account lockout mechanisms, enforce minimum password complexity requirements, and maintain appropriate logging for security monitoring. The mitigation strategy must address both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future authentication implementations.