SEL-451: Improper Authentication
CVE-2023-34388 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in SEL-451 from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, 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 R315-V4, R316-V4, R317-V4 as the first without the flaw, so updating SEL-451 to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.91% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 61% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update SEL-451 to R315-V4 or R316-V4 or R317-V4 or R318-V5, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Sel-451 Firmware to r315-v4 or r316-v4 or r317-v4 or r318-v5, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on selinc.com 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories | SEL-451 | R315-V0 up to, but not including, R315-V4; R316-V0 up to, but not including, R316-V4; R317-V0 up to, but not including, R317-V4; R318-V0 up to, but not including, R318-V5; R320-V0 up to, but not including, R320-V3; R321-V0 up to, but not including, R321-V3; R322-V0 up to, but not including, R322-V3; R323-V0 up to, but not including, R323-V5; and 4 more ranges | R315-V4, R316-V4, R317-V4, R318-V5, R320-V3, R321-V3 |
| Selinc | Sel-451 Firmware | r315-v0 up to, but not including, r315-v4; r316-v0 up to, but not including, r316-v4; r317-v0 up to, but not including, r317-v4; r318-v0 up to, but not including, r318-v5; r320-v0 up to, but not including, r320-v3; r321-v0 up to, but not including, r321-v3; r322-v0 up to, but not including, r322-v3; r323-v0 up to, but not including, r323-v5; and 4 more ranges | r315-v4, r316-v4, r317-v4, r318-v5, r320-v3, r321-v3 |
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 system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 6.5 | Medium | CNA (selinc.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | NVD |
Official description
An Improper Authentication vulnerability in the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories SEL-451 could allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to potentially perform session hijacking attack and bypass authentication. See product Instruction Manual Appendix A dated 20230830 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.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- nozominetworks.com/blog/Third Party Advisory
Other vulnerabilities in SEL-451
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
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