CVE-2023-0525

Vulnerability

The vulnerability is a weak encoding for passwords (CWE-261) in the Data Transfer Security function of Mitsubishi Electric GOT2000 Series (models GT27, GT25, GT23, GT21 versions 01.49.000 and prior), GOT SIMPLE Series (models GS25, GS21 versions 01.49.000 and prior), GT Designer3 Version1 (GOT2000) versions 1.295H and prior, and GT SoftGOT2000 versions 1.295H and prior [1][2]. The encoding used to protect passwords in communication packets is easily reversible, allowing recovery of the original plaintext.

Exploitation

An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sniffing network packets during data transfer when the Data Transfer Security function is enabled. The attacker captures the encrypted password from the packet and then applies the weak decoding algorithm to obtain the plaintext password. No authentication or user interaction is required [1][2].

Impact

Successful exploitation results in disclosure of plaintext passwords, leading to a high confidentiality impact. The attacker can use the recovered passwords to gain unauthorized access to the affected systems. There is no impact on integrity or availability [2].

Mitigation

As of the publication date, no fixed versions have been released. Users should apply workarounds such as using VPNs, network segmentation, or disabling the Data Transfer Security function if not required. Monitor vendor advisories for future updates [1][2].