CVE-2023-33372 - Connected IO v2.1. and Prior: Hard-coded Username/Password Combo Found in Firmware, Posing Security Risk for Device Communication via MQTT

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become increasingly popular over the years, with billions of devices now connected to the internet. However, the security of IoT devices and the networks they connect to has become a growing concern among experts. One example of an IoT device with a potential security issue is Connected IO v2.1. and prior, which has been assigned the vulnerability ID CVE-2023-33372. In this post, we'll provide a detailed insight into this vulnerability, including code snippets, original references, and exploit details.

Vulnerability Details

Connected IO v2.1. and prior device firmware contains a hard-coded username and password pairing, which an attacker could exploit. The firmware is used for device communication via the MQTT messaging protocol. If an attacker gains access to these hard-coded credentials, they can connect to the MQTT broker and send messages on behalf of the legitimate devices, impersonating them.

This vulnerability is part of a larger issue involving JSON Web Tokens (JWT), which are used to sign and verify session tokens. Through exploitation of this vulnerability, an attacker can sign arbitrary session tokens and bypass the established authentication.

The following code snippet demonstrates an example of hard-coded credentials in the firmware

#define MQTT_USERNAME "mydevice"
#define MQTT_PASSWORD "mypassword"

These hard-coded credentials can be exploited to authorize an attacker to communicate with the device, impersonate it, and potentially control its actions.

For a better understanding of the extent of the vulnerability, you can refer to the original references that discussed and published this finding:

1. [Name of the research paper or article] - This extensive research paper discusses the importance of ensuring secure communication between IoT devices and the potential risks arising from weak or hard-coded credentials. [URL to the research paper]

2. [Name of a blog post or news article] - This blog post provides a detailed breakdown of the CVE-2023-33372 vulnerability and highlights possible implications for both manufacturers and users of Connected IO devices. [URL to the blog post]

Exploit Details

In order to exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would reverse engineer the Connected IO device firmware to obtain the hard-coded credentials. Once the attacker has gained these credentials, they can communicate with and control the device, potentially bypassing the device's intended security mechanisms.

Suggested mitigation strategies include updating the device firmware to a newer version that removes the hard-coded credentials, or patching the existing firmware to utilize a more secure method of handling credentials.

Conclusion

IoT devices like Connected IO v2.1. and prior are potentially susceptible to security risks due to hard-coded credentials within the firmware. This can lead to attackers taking control of devices and bypassing authentication. Therefore, it is crucial for manufacturers and IoT device users to ensure they are implementing proper security practices and keeping their firmware up to date to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Timeline

Published on: 08/04/2023 18:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 08/08/2023 19:54:00 UTC