CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-53955NVD status: Analyzed

Impact/Pulse/First: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key

CVE-2023-53955 is a critical-severity authorization bypass through user-controlled key vulnerability in Impact/Pulse/First from Sound4, 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. Affected Impact/Pulse/First versions: Version 2: 1.1/2.15. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.85% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 59% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Impact/Pulse/First you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. 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
SOUND4Impact/Pulse/FirstVersion 2: 1.1/2.15Not stated
SOUND4Impact/Pulse Eco1.16Not stated
SOUND4BigVoice41.2Not stated
SOUND4BigVoice21.30Not stated
SOUND4Stream1.1/2.4.29Not stated
Kantar MediaWM21.11Not stated
Sound4Stream Extension2.4.29Not stated
Sound4Wm2 Firmware1.11Not stated
Sound4Big Voice2 Firmware1.30Not stated
Sound4Big Voice4 Firmware1.2Not stated
Sound4Pulse Eco Firmware1.16Not stated
Sound4Impact Eco Firmware1.16Not stated
Sound4First Firmware1.69; 2.15Not stated
Sound4Pulse Firmware1.69; 2.15Not stated
Sound4Impact Firmware1.69; 2.15Not stated

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 CNA (vulncheck.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.09.3CriticalCNA (vulncheck.com)
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalCNA (vulncheck.com)

Official description

SOUND4 IMPACT/FIRST/PULSE/Eco v2.x contains an insecure direct object reference vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass authorization and access hidden system resources. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by manipulating user-supplied input to execute privileged functionalities without proper authentication.

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

The underlying weakness: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key

The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • For each and every data access, ensure that the user has sufficient privilege to access the record that is being requested.
  • Make sure that the key that is used in the lookup of a specific user's record is not controllable externally by the user or that any tampering can be detected.
  • Use encryption in order to make it more difficult to guess other legitimate values of the key or associate a digital signature with the key so that the server can verify that there has been no tampering.

More Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerabilities (CWE-639)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)

Other vulnerabilities in Impact/Pulse/First

All Impact/Pulse/First vulnerabilities

Recent Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerabilities

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