CVE-2023-31472
Published: 09 May 2023
Summary
CVE-2023-31472 is a high-severity Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling (CWE-770) vulnerability in Gl-Inet Gl-S20 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 3.5% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis
CVE-2023-31472 affects GL.iNet devices running firmware versions prior to 3.216. The flaw is an arbitrary file write that permits creation of an empty file at any filesystem path, stemming from a command injection vulnerability that is only partially mitigated by an input filter. It carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 and is associated with CWE-770.
An unauthenticated attacker with network access can exploit the issue to write empty files anywhere on the device. This grants high-integrity impact without requiring user interaction, though confidentiality and availability are not directly affected according to the provided scoring.
Public references consist of a GL.iNet advisory page and a detailed GitHub repository entry describing the Arbitrary_File_Creation issue for firmware 3.215; these resources are the primary sources for any vendor-supplied patches or workarounds. The associated EPSS values have remained in a narrow band around 0.27 with no pronounced rise after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-35777
Vulnerability details
An issue was discovered on GL.iNet devices before 3.216. There is an arbitrary file write in which an empty file can be created anywhere on the filesystem. This is caused by a command injection vulnerability with a filter applied.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
This control implements explicit throttling on session allocation, addressing the weakness of allocating resources without limits.
Plan testing exercises resource allocation limits and throttling during simulated failures, directly addressing weaknesses that allow unbounded resource use.
Contingency plan updates ensure recovery strategies address unbounded resource allocation, making it harder for attackers to exploit lack of throttling to cause prolonged outages.
Provides continuity when unbounded resource allocation at the primary site leads to exhaustion and downtime.
Alternate services allow operations to continue when primary allocation of resources lacks limits or throttling.
Explicit planning of security-related actions requires defining limits, windows, and resource allocations, making allocation without throttling far less likely.
Measures of performance include tracking allocation behavior and throttling effectiveness, reducing the window for resource exhaustion attacks.
Imposes an inactivity-based limit on network resource allocation, throttling the number of concurrently held connections.