Cisco Industrial Network Director: Use of Hard-coded Credentials
CVE-2023-20038 is a high-severity use of hard-coded credentials vulnerability in Cisco Industrial Network Director from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Cisco Industrial Network Director versions: 1.5.0; 1.5.1; 1.4.0, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Industrial Network Director to 1.6.0 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on sec.cloudapps.cisco.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco Industrial Network Director | 1.5.0; 1.5.1; 1.4.0; 1.0.0; 1.0.1 | Not stated |
| Cisco | Industrial Network Director | before 1.6.0 | 1.6.0 |
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
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- 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:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CNA (cisco.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
A vulnerability in the monitoring application of Cisco Industrial Network Director could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access a static secret key used to store both local data and credentials for accessing remote systems. This vulnerability is due to a static key value stored in the application used to encrypt application data and remote credentials. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by gaining local access to the server Cisco Industrial Network Director is installed on. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to decrypt data allowing the attacker to access remote systems monitored by Cisco Industrial Network Director.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use of Hard-coded Credentials
The product contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic key.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For outbound authentication: store passwords, keys, and other credentials outside of the code in a strongly-protected, encrypted configuration file or database that is protected from access by all outsiders, including other local users on the same system. Properly protect the key (CWE-320). If you cannot use encryption to protect the file, then make sure that the permissions are as restrictive as possible. In Windows environments, the Encrypted File System (EFS) may provide some protection.
- For inbound authentication: Rather than hard-code a default username and password, key, or other authentication credentials for first time logins, utilize a first login mode that requires the user to enter a unique strong password or key.
- If the product must contain hard-coded credentials or they cannot be removed, perform access control checks and limit which entities can access the feature that requires the hard-coded credentials. For example, a feature might only be enabled through the system console instead of through a network connection.
More Use of Hard-coded Credentials vulnerabilities (CWE-798)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Industrial Network Director
- 9.9 Critical severity
Recent Use of Hard-coded Credentials vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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