FreeBSD: Improper Authentication
CVE-2023-3326 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in FreeBSD, 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 versions 13.2-RELEASE-p1, 13.1-RELEASE-p8, 12.4-RELEASE-p3 as the first without the flaw, so updating FreeBSD to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.1% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 66% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update FreeBSD to 13.2-RELEASE-p1 or 13.1-RELEASE-p8 or 12.4-RELEASE-p3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on security.freebsd.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD | FreeBSD | 13.2-RELEASE up to, but not including, 13.2-RELEASE-p1; 13.1-RELEASE up to, but not including, 13.1-RELEASE-p8; 12.4-RELEASE up to, but not including, 12.4-RELEASE-p3 | 13.2-RELEASE-p1, 13.1-RELEASE-p8, 12.4-RELEASE-p3 |
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.
Official description
pam_krb5 authenticates a user by essentially running kinit with the password, getting a ticket-granting ticket (tgt) from the Kerberos KDC (Key Distribution Center) over the network, as a way to verify the password. However, if a keytab is not provisioned on the system, pam_krb5 has no way to validate the response from the KDC, and essentially trusts the tgt provided over the network as being valid. In a non-default FreeBSD installation that leverages pam_krb5 for authentication and does not have a keytab provisioned, an attacker that is able to control both the password and the KDC responses can return a valid tgt, allowing authentication to occur for any user on the system.
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.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Third-party and government advisories
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230714-0005/Third Party Advisory
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in FreeBSD
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 3.9 Low severity
VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Exploited
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