CVE-2023-49115
📋 TL;DR
MachineSense devices use unauthenticated MQTT messaging for monitoring and remote viewing of sensor data, allowing attackers to intercept or manipulate data without credentials. This affects all MachineSense devices using the vulnerable MQTT implementation.
💻 Affected Systems
- MachineSense devices with MQTT monitoring capabilities
📦 What is this software?
Feverwarn Firmware by Machinesense
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could intercept sensitive sensor data, inject false readings to cause operational disruptions, or potentially gain unauthorized access to control systems.
Likely Case
Unauthorized viewing of sensor data, data interception, and potential manipulation of monitoring information.
If Mitigated
Limited to authorized monitoring with proper authentication and network segmentation in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires only MQTT client tools and knowledge of the device's MQTT topics.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check vendor advisory for specific version
Vendor Advisory: https://machinesense.com/pages/about-machinesense
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Contact MachineSense support for patch availability 2. Apply vendor-provided firmware update 3. Restart affected devices 4. Verify MQTT authentication is enabled
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Enable MQTT Authentication
allConfigure MQTT broker to require authentication before allowing connections
# Configure MQTT broker authentication settings
# Set username/password requirements in MQTT configuration
Network Segmentation
allIsolate MachineSense devices in separate network segments with firewall rules
# Configure firewall to restrict MQTT traffic (port 1883/8883)
# Allow only authorized IP addresses to connect
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network-level authentication using VPN or TLS certificates for MQTT traffic
- Deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for unauthorized MQTT connections
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Attempt to connect to device MQTT broker (port 1883/8883) without credentials using tools like mosquitto_subCheck Version:
Check device firmware version through web interface or vendor toolsVerify Fix Applied:
Verify MQTT connections now require authentication and fail without valid credentials📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Failed MQTT authentication attempts
- Unauthorized MQTT connections
- Unusual MQTT topic subscriptions
Network Indicators:
- Unencrypted MQTT traffic to/from MachineSense devices
- MQTT connections from unauthorized IP addresses
SIEM Query:
source_port:1883 OR source_port:8883 AND NOT (auth_success:true)