CVE-2023-51761 in Rosemount GC370XA
Summary
by MITRE • 02/09/2024
In Emerson Rosemount GC370XA, GC700XA, and GC1500XA products, an unauthenticated user with network access could bypass authentication and acquire admin capabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2025
The CVE-2023-51761 vulnerability affects Emerson Rosemount GC370XA, GC700XA, and GC1500XA gas chromatograph products, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that undermines the security posture of industrial control systems. This vulnerability resides within the network communication protocols of these devices, which are commonly deployed in process industries for gas analysis and monitoring applications. The flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker with mere network access to escalate privileges and assume administrative control over the affected equipment, creating a significant risk to operational technology environments where these devices operate.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the device's web interface and network services. Specifically, the authentication process fails to properly validate user credentials or enforce access controls, enabling attackers to bypass the standard login procedures entirely. This weakness manifests as a failure to implement proper session management and authorization checks, allowing unauthorized users to access administrative functions through crafted network requests or direct interface manipulation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and represents a classic case of weak access control implementation.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-51761 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables full administrative control over critical gas chromatography equipment. An attacker could modify configuration parameters, alter analysis settings, manipulate calibration data, or even disrupt ongoing measurements, potentially leading to process safety issues, data integrity compromises, or production inefficiencies. These devices are typically deployed in environments where continuous monitoring and precise measurements are essential for safety and operational compliance, making the potential consequences of unauthorized access particularly severe. The vulnerability affects industrial environments that follow standards such as IEC 62443 for cybersecurity in industrial automation and control systems.
Organizations utilizing these Emerson Rosemount devices should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to these devices to authorized personnel only, while implementing strict firewall rules to restrict access to necessary ports and protocols. The affected devices should be updated with vendor-provided patches or firmware updates as soon as they become available. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized connection attempts to these devices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering, as attackers could exploit this weakness to establish persistent access to critical industrial systems. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control lists and monitoring for unauthorized administrative access attempts to prevent exploitation of this authentication bypass vulnerability.