CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-31152NVD status: Modified

SEL-3505: Improper Authentication

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-31152 is a high-severity improper authentication vulnerability in SEL-3505 from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7 as the first without the flaw, so updating SEL-3505 to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.36% 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 SEL-3505 to R150-V2 or R149-V4 or R148-V7 or R147-V6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update SEL-3505-3 to R150-V2 or R149-V4 or R148-V7 or R147-V6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update SEL-3530 to R150-V2 or R149-V4 or R148-V7 or R147-V6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on selinc.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3505R147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3505-3R147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3530R147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3530-4R147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3532R147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3555R147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3560SR147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3560ER147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-2241 RTAC moduleR147-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7; R147-V0 up to, but not including, R147-V6R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7, R147-V6
Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesSEL-3350R148-V0 up to, but not including, R150-V2; R148-V0 up to, but not including, R149-V4; R148-V0 up to, but not including, R148-V7R150-V2, R149-V4, R148-V7
SelincSel-2241 Rtac Module Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3350 Firmwarer148-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3505 Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3505-3 Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3530 Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3530-4 Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3532 Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3555 Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3560e Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2
SelincSel-3560s Firmwarer147-v0 up to, but not including, r150-v2r150-v2

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
LowA basic user account is enough.
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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.14.0MediumCNA (selinc.com)
CVSS 3.18.8HighNVD

Official description

An Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability in the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Real-Time Automation Controller (SEL RTAC) Web Interface allows Authentication Bypass. See SEL Service Bulletin dated 2022-11-15 for more details.

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

The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication

When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.

More Improper Authentication vulnerabilities (CWE-287)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Other vulnerabilities in SEL-3505

All SEL-3505 vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities

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