CVE-2023-32227
📋 TL;DR
Synel SYnergy Fingerprint Terminals contain hard-coded credentials that allow attackers to gain unauthorized access. This affects all organizations using these biometric terminals for access control or time attendance. Attackers can exploit these credentials to bypass authentication mechanisms.
💻 Affected Systems
- Synel SYnergy Fingerprint Terminals
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of physical security systems, unauthorized building access, time attendance fraud, and potential data exfiltration of biometric templates.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to facilities, time clock manipulation, and potential credential harvesting for further attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if terminals are isolated on separate networks with strict access controls and monitored for unusual authentication attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires only knowledge of the hard-coded credentials, which may be publicly disclosed or easily discovered through reverse engineering.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check with Synel for specific patched firmware versions
Vendor Advisory: https://www.gov.il/en/Departments/faq/cve_advisories
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Contact Synel support for patched firmware. 2. Backup terminal configuration. 3. Apply firmware update via management interface. 4. Restart terminal. 5. Verify new credentials are required for access.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allIsolate fingerprint terminals on separate VLAN with strict firewall rules
Access Control Lists
allImplement network ACLs to restrict access to terminal management interfaces
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment terminals on isolated network with no internet access
- Implement strict monitoring for authentication attempts and alert on any access to terminal interfaces
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Attempt to authenticate to terminal management interface using known hard-coded credentials (specific credentials not disclosed here for security reasons)Check Version:
Check firmware version via terminal management interface or physical display on deviceVerify Fix Applied:
Verify that previously known hard-coded credentials no longer work and new authentication is required📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Successful authentication with default/hard-coded credentials
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by success
- Access from unusual IP addresses
Network Indicators:
- Traffic to terminal management ports from unauthorized sources
- Authentication attempts using default credentials
SIEM Query:
source="synel-terminal" AND (event_type="authentication" AND result="success") AND user="default"