CVE-2023-53773 in MiniDVBLinux
Summary
by MITRE • 12/09/2025
MiniDVBLinux 5.4 contains an unauthenticated vulnerability in the tv_action.sh script that allows remote attackers to generate live stream snapshots through the Simple VDR Protocol. Attackers can request /tpl/tv_action.sh to create and retrieve a live TV screenshot stored in /var/www/images/tv.jpg without authentication.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-53773 resides within MiniDVBLinux 5.4, a digital video recording system that implements the Simple VDR Protocol for remote control and monitoring capabilities. This system is designed to provide users with access to live television streams and recording functions through web-based interfaces. The flaw manifests in the tv_action.sh script which serves as a critical component for handling television-related actions within the system's web interface. The vulnerability represents a significant security weakness that undermines the authentication mechanisms designed to protect the system's operational functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper authentication checks within the tv_action.sh script. When remote attackers access the specific endpoint /tpl/tv_action.sh, they can trigger the creation of live stream snapshots without providing any credentials or authorization tokens. The script executes without verifying the identity or privileges of the requesting user, creating an unauthenticated access point that allows arbitrary remote exploitation. This flaw directly violates security principles of least privilege and authentication enforcement that should be fundamental to any network-accessible system component.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially sensitive visual content. Attackers can capture live television streams and retrieve them as image files stored in the /var/www/images/tv.jpg location, effectively creating a method for unauthorized surveillance or content harvesting. This capability could enable threat actors to gather visual intelligence about system users, monitor broadcast content, or potentially exploit the captured images for social engineering purposes. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the system's broadcast monitoring functionality, potentially exposing users to privacy risks and unauthorized data collection.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle that all system functions requiring protection should enforce proper authentication mechanisms. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers the exploitation of remote services through unauthenticated access points. The exposure of the tv_action.sh endpoint creates a persistent attack surface that can be leveraged for reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and potential system compromise through additional attack vectors that may be discovered through the initial unauthorized access. Organizations utilizing MiniDVBLinux 5.4 should implement immediate mitigations including access control restrictions, authentication enforcement, and network segmentation to prevent unauthorized exploitation of this vulnerability.
The remediation approach should focus on implementing proper authentication mechanisms for the tv_action.sh script, ensuring that all requests to the /tpl/tv_action.sh endpoint require valid credentials before executing any television-related actions. Network-level protections should be implemented to restrict access to the web interface, and the system should be configured to enforce authentication for all administrative and operational functions. Regular security audits should verify that no other unauthenticated endpoints exist within the system that could provide similar attack vectors for unauthorized access to broadcast monitoring capabilities.