CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-1778NVD status: Modified

Data Security Firewall: Insufficiently Protected Credentials

CVE-2023-1778 is a critical-severity insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability in Data Security Firewall from GajShield, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 4.28 as the first without the flaw, so updating Data Security Firewall to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.13% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 67% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Data Security Firewall to 4.28 or a later version.
  2. Update Data Security Firewall Firmware to 4.21 or 4.28, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
GajShieldData Security Firewall4.5 up to, but not including, 4.284.28
GajshieldData Security Firewall Firmwarebefore 4.21; 4.22 up to, but not including, 4.284.21, 4.28

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.110.0CriticalCNA (cert-in.org.in)
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalNVD

Official description

This vulnerability exists in GajShield Data Security Firewall firmware versions prior to v4.28 (except v4.21) due to insecure default credentials which allows remote attacker to login as superuser by using default username/password via web-based management interface and/or exposed SSH port thereby enabling remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with administrative/superuser privileges on the targeted systems. The vulnerability has been addressed by forcing the user to change their default password to a new non-default password.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Insufficiently Protected Credentials

The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use an appropriate security mechanism to protect the credentials.
  • Make appropriate use of cryptography to protect the credentials.
  • Use industry standards to protect the credentials (e.g. LDAP, keystore, etc.).

More Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerabilities (CWE-522)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Recent Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerabilities

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