CVE-2023-3373 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-3373 was published and assigned by Mitsubishi on August 3, 2023. It involves a vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's GOT2000 Series GT21 model and GOT SIMPLE Series GS21 model, affecting versions 01.49.000 and earlier. The vulnerability allows remote unauthenticated attackers to hijack data connections or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by guessing the listening port of the data connection on FTP server and connecting to it.

Understanding CVE-2023-3373

This section will delve deeper into the details of the CVE-2023-3373 vulnerability, its impact, technical description, affected systems, and mitigation steps.

What is CVE-2023-3373?

CVE-2023-3373 is a "Predictable Exact Value from Previous Values" vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's products, namely the GOT2000 Series GT21 model and the GOT SIMPLE Series GS21 model. This vulnerability allows unauthorized remote attackers to exploit the FTP server to hijack data connections or disrupt legitimate users from establishing connections.

The Impact of CVE-2023-3373

The impact of CVE-2023-3373 is rated as medium severity. It has a CVSS base score of 5.9, with a high integrity impact and low availability impact. Attack vectors are through the network without the need for user interaction, making it a critical issue for affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-3373

Let's explore the technical specifics of CVE-2023-3373, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a Predictable Exact Value from Previous Values flaw in the FTP server of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's GT21 and GS21 models. Attackers can exploit this weakness to launch session hijacking attacks or disrupt data connections, potentially leading to a denial of service scenario.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects the following products:

GOT2000 Series GT21 model with versions 01.49.000 and earlier
GOT SIMPLE Series GS21 model with versions 01.49.000 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of CVE-2023-3373 involves guessing the listening port of the data connection on the FTP server. By successfully identifying and connecting to this port, attackers can manipulate data connections to achieve their malicious goals.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-3373, immediate action should be taken to secure the affected systems and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement firewall rules to restrict unauthorized access to the FTP server.
Regularly monitor network traffic and data connections for any suspicious activity.
Update firewall and intrusion detection system rules to detect and block potential exploits.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate weaknesses.
Enhance network security by implementing strong authentication mechanisms and encryption protocols.

Patching and Updates

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is likely to release patches or updates to address the CVE-2023-3373 vulnerability. Ensure that these patches are promptly applied to the affected systems to eliminate the security risk.