CVE-2023-47297 in Terminal Handler
Summary
by MITRE • 06/23/2025
A settings manipulation vulnerability in NCR Terminal Handler v1.5.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands, including editing system security auditing configurations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-47297 represents a critical settings manipulation flaw within the NCR Terminal Handler version 1.5.1 software ecosystem. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of system configuration parameters and presents a significant risk to enterprise environments that rely on terminal management systems for critical operations. The flaw enables malicious actors to manipulate system settings in ways that can fundamentally alter the security posture of affected systems. The vulnerability specifically targets the configuration management interfaces within the NCR Terminal Handler, which serves as a bridge between terminal devices and enterprise networks, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within organizational infrastructures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient access controls within the settings management module of the NCR Terminal Handler. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted configuration parameters that bypass normal validation mechanisms and are subsequently processed with elevated privileges. This flaw essentially allows for arbitrary command execution within the context of the application's security framework, enabling adversaries to modify critical system configurations including security auditing parameters that govern system monitoring and logging activities. The vulnerability operates at a fundamental level where user-supplied data is directly interpreted and executed without proper sanitization or privilege verification, creating a direct pathway for privilege escalation and system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-47297 extends far beyond simple command execution capabilities, as it fundamentally undermines the integrity of system security configurations. When attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, they can modify security auditing configurations to disable or redirect critical logging mechanisms, effectively creating blind spots in system monitoring that can persist undetected for extended periods. This capability enables attackers to maintain persistent access while avoiding detection through normal security monitoring procedures. The vulnerability's potential for privilege escalation means that compromised terminals can be used as launching points for broader network infiltration, as attackers can manipulate system settings to weaken defenses across interconnected systems. Organizations relying on NCR Terminal Handler for point-of-sale systems, kiosk deployments, or terminal management may experience complete system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the NCR Terminal Handler software to the latest available version that addresses the settings manipulation flaw. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of affected systems to trusted networks only, while monitoring for unusual configuration changes should be enabled to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation and CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, representing a classic injection attack vector that leverages insufficient validation of user-supplied data. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 Phishing, as it enables attackers to execute commands and potentially establish persistence through compromised terminal systems. Organizations should also implement comprehensive audit logging of configuration changes and establish baseline monitoring to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while conducting thorough vulnerability assessments of all terminal management systems to identify similar configuration management weaknesses.