HIGH CVSS 8.3
Published: 2024-04-17

CVE-2023-45744

peplink smart_reader_firmware Security Advisory (CVE-2023-45744)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2023-45744 impacting peplink smart_reader_firmware. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.3 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
A data integrity vulnerability exists in the web interface /cgi-bin/upload_config.cgi functionality of Peplink Smart Reader v1.2.0 (in QEMU). A specially crafted HTTP request can lead to configuration modification. An attacker can make an unauthenticated HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product peplink / smart_reader_firmware
Affected Versions 1.2.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-284

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2023-45744 impacting peplink smart_reader_firmware.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2023-45744.yaml
id: cve-2023-45744

info:
  name: peplink smart_reader_firmware - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2023-45744 affecting peplink smart_reader_firmware.
    Evaluation: A data integrity vulnerability exists in the web interface /cgi-bin/upload_config.cgi functionality of Peplink Smart Reader v1.2.0 (in QEMU). A specia...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2023-45744
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.3
    cve-id: CVE-2023-45744
    cwe-id: CWE-284
  tags: cve,cve-2023-45744,peplink,smart_reader_firmware,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "smart_reader_firmware"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2023-45744.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2023-45744
# Target: peplink smart_reader_firmware | CVSS: 8.3 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2023-45744 (peplink smart_reader_firmware)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against peplink smart_reader_firmware scope (1.2.0).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2023-45744.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2023-45744
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install smart_reader_firmware 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade smart_reader_firmware 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update smart_reader_firmware

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i smart_reader_firmware 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i smart_reader_firmware

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2023-45744 in peplink smart_reader_firmware?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update peplink smart_reader_firmware packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2023-45744?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2023-45744?

CVE-2023-45744 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.3 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.3
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2023-45744
Weakness CWE-284
Vendor peplink
Product smart_reader_firmware
Published 2024-04-17
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H