Nshield 5c Firmware: Improper Access Control
CVE-2025-59703 is a critical-severity improper access control vulnerability in Nshield 5c Firmware from Entrust, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 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 13.6.12, 13.9.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating Nshield 5c Firmware to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.5% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Nshield 5c Firmware to 13.6.12 or 13.9.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Nshield Hsmi Firmware to 13.6.12 or 13.9.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Nshield Connect Xc Base Firmware to 13.6.12 or 13.9.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrust | Nshield 5c Firmware | before 13.6.12; 13.7 up to, but not including, 13.9.0 | 13.6.12, 13.9.0 |
| Entrust | Nshield Hsmi Firmware | before 13.6.12; 13.7 up to, but not including, 13.9.0 | 13.6.12, 13.9.0 |
| Entrust | Nshield Connect Xc Base Firmware | before 13.6.12; 13.7 up to, but not including, 13.9.0 | 13.6.12, 13.9.0 |
| Entrust | Nshield Connect Xc Mid Firmware | before 13.6.12; 13.7 up to, but not including, 13.9.0 | 13.6.12, 13.9.0 |
| Entrust | Nshield Connect Xc High Firmware | before 13.6.12; 13.7 up to, but not including, 13.9.0 | 13.6.12, 13.9.0 |
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
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Entrust nShield Connect XC, nShield 5c, and nShield HSMi through 13.6.11, or 13.7 (patched in 13.6.12 (LTS) and 13.9.0 (STS)), allow a Physically Proximate Attacker to access the internal components of the appliance, without leaving tamper evidence. To exploit this, the attacker needs to remove the tamper label and all fixing screws from the device without damaging it. This is called an F14 attack.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Access Control
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Nshield 5c Firmware
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Improper Access Control vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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