Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-32077 is a high-severity Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (CWE-321) vulnerability in Netmaker Netmaker. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Credentials In Files (T1552.001); ranked in the top 11% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
Netmaker, an open-source tool for building WireGuard-based virtual networks, contains a hardcoded DNS key that exposes DNS API endpoints to unauthenticated access. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2023-32077 and assigned CVSS 7.5, affects all releases prior to 0.17.1 and 0.18.6 and stems from the use of static credentials (CWE-321 and CWE-798) rather than per-deployment secrets.
An unauthenticated attacker with network reachability can directly invoke the DNS API endpoints, resulting in disclosure of sensitive DNS configuration and related data without any user interaction or privilege requirements. The attack requires only standard HTTP or API requests against the exposed management interface.
The project’s security advisory and subsequent commits recommend immediate upgrade: users on the 0.17.x line should pull gravitl/netmaker:v0.17.1 and restart via docker-compose, while those on 0.18.0–0.18.5 should move to 0.18.6 or later. A temporary workaround for 0.17.1 deployments is to pull the newest backend image and restart the server. The current EPSS score of 0.8656 indicates substantial public interest in exploitation.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-2249
Vulnerability Data
Netmaker makes networks with WireGuard. Prior to versions 0.17.1 and 0.18.6, hardcoded DNS key usage has been found in Netmaker allowing unauth users to interact with DNS API endpoints. The issue is patched in 0.17.1 and fixed in 0.18.6. If…
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users are using 0.17.1, they should run `docker pull gravitl/netmaker:v0.17.1` and `docker-compose up -d`. This will switch them to the patched users. If users are using v0.18.0-0.18.5, they should upgrade to v0.18.6 or later. As a workaround, someone who is using version 0.17.1 can pull the latest docker image of the backend and restart the server.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
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.
Supplier evaluation and secure acquisition practices make it harder for hard-coded credentials to be introduced via procured products.
Requiring security functional requirements and acceptance criteria allows contracts to prohibit hard-coded credentials in delivered systems or components.
Supplier risk reviews identify and discourage hard-coded credentials in delivered products or services.
Enables users to notice when hard-coded credentials have been exploited for unauthorized access.
Security training explicitly warns against hard-coded credentials, lowering their use in systems.
Policy and procedures prohibit hard-coded credentials in favor of managed authentication.
External identity providers eliminate the need for hard-coded credentials in applications.
Changing default authenticators prior to first use and protecting content prevents use of hard-coded credentials.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
PR.AA-01's credential/key-management processes can reduce the incentive to embed secrets but do not address or detect hard-coded values in source code, so the weakness remains fully possible.
Data-at-rest protection policies require proper key management and therefore discourage hard-coded keys.
Data-in-transit protection similarly depends on non-hard-coded keys for encryption.
Configuration baselines and reviews can prohibit hard-coded keys in deployed artifacts.
Secure-SDLC activities such as code review and secret scanning directly prevent embedding static keys.
PR.AA-02 addresses human identity proofing and per-person credential issuance at enrollment; it has no bearing on whether developers embed static credentials in software.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Education on secure configuration practices discourages technical staff from embedding or relying on hard-coded credentials in systems and applications.