CVE-2024-35585 in MinKNOW
Summary
by MITRE • 09/02/2026
Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW before 24.06 relies on a client's source IP address for authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2026
The vulnerability in Oxford Nanopore Technologies' MinKNOW software prior to version 24.06 stems from an insecure design pattern where the application trusts the client's source Internet Protocol address as a sole or primary mechanism for authentication and authorization decisions. This architectural flaw represents a fundamental misunderstanding of network security boundaries, specifically failing to account for the inherent untrustworthiness of IP addresses in modern networking environments. By relying on this attribute without additional verification mechanisms such as cryptographic tokens, session management, or multi-factor authentication, the software exposes itself to various forms of identity spoofing and unauthorized access attacks. This approach violates core principles of secure system design which dictate that all input, including network metadata, must be validated and treated with suspicion rather than assumed trust.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability allows an attacker positioned within the same local area network or capable of manipulating routing tables to impersonate legitimate users by spoofing their IP addresses. In many laboratory settings where MinKNOW is deployed, devices often operate on isolated but accessible networks that may not be protected by robust perimeter defenses like firewalls with strict ingress filtering. An adversary who gains access to the same subnet can craft packets with a forged source IP address corresponding to an authorized user or administrator. Since the application accepts this spoofed identity without challenge, the attacker is granted the privileges associated with that impersonated account. This effectively bypasses any intended security controls designed to restrict access based on user identity, rendering those controls obsolete against network-level attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe within the context of genomic sequencing operations where MinKNOW is utilized. Unauthorized access could lead to the manipulation of active sequencing runs, potentially corrupting valuable biological data or causing hardware damage through improper control commands. Furthermore, attackers with elevated privileges might exfiltrate sensitive genetic information stored on the system's local storage or connected databases. In a research environment dealing with proprietary sequences or patient-derived samples, such a breach constitutes a significant confidentiality and integrity violation. The lack of robust authentication also complicates audit trails, as actions performed by an attacker using a spoofed IP address may be incorrectly attributed to legitimate personnel, hindering forensic analysis and incident response efforts.
This flaw aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-287, which describes Improper Authentication, specifically the failure to verify identity correctly due to reliance on insufficient credentials. It also relates to CWE-345 regarding Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity when considering how network metadata is processed without validation. In terms of offensive security frameworks, this vulnerability facilitates techniques described in MITRE ATT&CK under Initial Access and Lateral Movement categories, particularly those involving IP address spoofing or credential abuse within local networks. The absence of mutual authentication means that the client cannot verify the server's identity either, opening the door to man-in-the-middle attacks where an intermediary could intercept and modify communications if not protected by additional encryption layers independent of this flawed logic.
Mitigation strategies must focus on implementing robust, multi-layered authentication mechanisms rather than relying solely on network-level indicators. The primary remediation is to upgrade to MinKNOW version 24.06 or later, where Oxford Nanopore Technologies has addressed these architectural deficiencies by introducing proper session management and credential-based verification. For systems that cannot be immediately upgraded, compensating controls should include isolating the sequencing equipment in a dedicated VLAN with strict access control lists that restrict connectivity to only known administrative workstations. Implementing network-level authentication protocols such as 802.1X can also help ensure that only authorized devices are permitted on the network segment hosting MinKNOW services. Additionally, enabling comprehensive logging and monitoring for anomalous login attempts or unexpected IP address changes can aid in early detection of exploitation attempts while longer-term architectural fixes are deployed.