CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-28616NVD status: Modified

Stormshield Network Security: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information

CVE-2023-28616 is a high-severity cleartext transmission of sensitive information vulnerability in Stormshield Network Security from StormShield, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 4.3.17, 4.6.4 as the first without the flaw, so updating Stormshield Network Security to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.29% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Stormshield Network Security to 4.3.17 or 4.6.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on advisories.stormshield.eu for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  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
StormshieldStormshield Network Security2.7.0 up to, but not including, 4.3.17; 4.4.0 up to, but not including, 4.6.4; 4.7.04.3.17, 4.6.4

Version data comes from NVD's product matching. 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
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

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

Official description

An issue was discovered in Stormshield Network Security (SNS) before 4.3.17, 4.4.x through 4.6.x before 4.6.4, and 4.7.x before 4.7.1. It affects user accounts for which the password has an equals sign or space character. The serverd process logs such passwords in cleartext, and potentially sends these logs to the Syslog component.

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

The underlying weakness: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information

The product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Before transmitting, encrypt the data using reliable, confidentiality-protecting cryptographic protocols.
  • When using web applications with SSL, use SSL for the entire session from login to logout, not just for the initial login page.
  • When designing hardware platforms, ensure that approved encryption algorithms (such as those recommended by NIST) protect paths from security critical data to trusted user applications.

More Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information vulnerabilities (CWE-319)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Stormshield Network Security

All Stormshield Network Security vulnerabilities

Recent Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information vulnerabilities

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