CVE-2023-2443 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE record was published by Rockwell on May 11, 2023, after being reserved on May 1, 2023. It involves a vulnerability in the ThinManager product by Rockwell Automation, affecting versions up to 13.0. The vulnerability allows the use of medium-strength ciphers, potentially enabling a malicious actor to decrypt traffic between the client and server API.

Understanding CVE-2023-2443

This section will delve into what CVE-2023-2443 entails, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-2443?

CVE-2023-2443 refers to an encryption weakness in the Rockwell Automation ThinManager product that permits the use of medium strength ciphers. In situations where a client requests an insecure cipher, there is a risk of potential decryption of traffic exchanged between the client and server API.

The Impact of CVE-2023-2443

The impact of this vulnerability is categorized as high severity. It could lead to the compromise of confidentiality as a malicious actor might decrypt sensitive information being transmitted between the client and server API. The CAPEC-20 (Encryption Brute Forcing) attack pattern is relevant in this context.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-2443

Understanding the technical aspects of the vulnerability is crucial to effectively address the issue.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Rockwell Automation ThinManager product arises from the utilization of medium-strength ciphers, allowing potential decryption of transmitted traffic if an insecure cipher is requested by the client.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions of Rockwell Automation ThinManager up to 13.0 are impacted by this vulnerability, making systems using these versions susceptible to exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of CVE-2023-2443 involves a malicious actor requesting an insecure cipher, which can enable them to decrypt traffic flowing between the client and server API.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-2443, proactive steps need to be taken to secure affected systems and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to upgrade to version 13.0.2 of the ThinManager product to address and correct the vulnerability. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, it is crucial to ensure that the 3DES encryption algorithm is not utilized to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing strong encryption protocols, regularly updating software components, and monitoring network traffic for anomalous activities are essential long-term security practices to enhance resilience against potential vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying patches, updates, and security fixes provided by the vendor, in this case Rockwell Automation, is crucial to maintain the security and integrity of systems, ensuring that known vulnerabilities are promptly addressed.