CVE-2023-39909
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2023-39909 is an access control vulnerability in Ericsson Network Manager that allows unauthenticated low-privilege users to access the NCM (Network Configuration Manager) application. This affects Ericsson Network Manager installations before version 23.2, potentially exposing network management functionality to unauthorized users.
💻 Affected Systems
- Ericsson Network Manager
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain administrative control over network devices, modify configurations, disrupt network operations, or exfiltrate sensitive network data.
Likely Case
Unauthorized users access network configuration data, view sensitive information, or make unauthorized configuration changes to network devices.
If Mitigated
Limited exposure with proper network segmentation and access controls preventing exploitation attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
The vulnerability description suggests straightforward exploitation by unauthenticated users accessing the NCM application.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 23.2 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.gruppotim.it/it/footer/red-team.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Upgrade Ericsson Network Manager to version 23.2 or later. 2. Follow Ericsson's upgrade documentation. 3. Restart the Network Manager services. 4. Verify the NCM application access controls are properly enforced.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allIsolate the Ericsson Network Manager from untrusted networks and restrict access to authorized users only.
Access Control Lists
allImplement strict firewall rules to limit access to the Network Manager interface.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate the Network Manager from all untrusted networks
- Deploy additional authentication layers (VPN, reverse proxy with authentication) in front of the Network Manager interface
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the Ericsson Network Manager version. If it's below 23.2, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check through Ericsson Network Manager web interface or administrative console for version information.Verify Fix Applied:
After upgrading to 23.2 or later, verify that unauthenticated users cannot access the NCM application.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unauthenticated access attempts to NCM application
- Access from unauthorized user accounts to network management functions
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic patterns to Network Manager NCM endpoints
- Access from unexpected IP addresses to management interfaces
SIEM Query:
source="network_manager" AND (event="unauthorized_access" OR user="unauthenticated") AND target="ncm_application"