CVE-2023-1841
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Honeywell MPA2 Access Panel web server modules. Attackers can inject malicious scripts via invalid characters, potentially compromising user sessions or stealing credentials. All MPA2 Access Panel versions prior to R1.00.08.05 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Honeywell MPA2 Access Panel
📦 What is this software?
Mpa2 Firmware by Honeywell
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could steal administrator credentials, take full control of the access panel system, manipulate door access controls, and pivot to other network systems.
Likely Case
Session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web interface, and limited system manipulation through authenticated user sessions.
If Mitigated
If proper input validation and output encoding are implemented, the attack surface is reduced to authenticated users only, limiting impact to individual sessions.
🎯 Exploit Status
XSS vulnerabilities typically have low exploitation complexity once the injection vector is identified. Requires user interaction with malicious input.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: R1.00.08.05 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://buildings.honeywell.com/us/en/brands/our-brands/security/support-and-resources/product-resources/eol-and-security-notices
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download firmware R1.00.08.05 or later from Honeywell support portal. 2. Backup current configuration. 3. Upload firmware via web interface. 4. Apply firmware update. 5. Reboot system. 6. Verify version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Filter
allImplement web application firewall or proxy filtering to sanitize input containing invalid characters before reaching the MPA2 panel.
Network Segmentation
allIsolate MPA2 panels from general user networks and restrict access to authorized administrators only.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate XSS impact
- Deploy web application firewall with XSS protection rules in front of MPA2 panels
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check firmware version via web interface: Login > System > About. If version is below R1.00.08.05, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
No CLI command available. Check via web interface at System > About or similar menu.Verify Fix Applied:
After patching, verify firmware version shows R1.00.08.05 or higher in System > About page.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual HTTP requests containing script tags or encoded characters
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful login from same IP
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests with suspicious parameters containing <script> tags or javascript: protocols
- Unusual outbound connections from MPA2 panel
SIEM Query:
source="mpa2_access_logs" AND (http_request CONTAINS "<script>" OR http_request CONTAINS "javascript:" OR http_request MATCHES "%[^a-zA-Z0-9]%")🔗 References
- https://buildings.honeywell.com/us/en/brands/our-brands/security/support-and-resources/product-resources/eol-and-security-notices
- https://https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/product-security
- https://buildings.honeywell.com/us/en/brands/our-brands/security/support-and-resources/product-resources/eol-and-security-notices
- https://https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/product-security
