CVE-2023-38351
Crypto Weakness in Minitool Partition Wizard 12.8
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2023-38351 is a high-severity Improper Certificate Validation (CWE-295) vulnerability in Minitool Partition Wizard. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Adversary-in-the-Middle (T1557); ranked at the 47th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); 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.
MiniTool Partition Wizard 12.8 is affected by an insecure installation mechanism that permits remote code execution via man-in-the-middle attacks. The flaw is tracked as CVE-2023-38351 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 and is associated with CWE-295, indicating missing or improper certificate validation during the update or installation process.
An attacker positioned on the network path can intercept installation traffic and supply malicious payloads, achieving code execution with full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. Exploitation requires no privileges or user interaction but depends on high attack complexity due to the need for a successful man-in-the-middle position.
The two reference URLs point to the same researcher site and contain no vendor advisory, patch details, or mitigation guidance. EPSS remains flat at 0.0597 with no observed rise after disclosure.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-42168
Vulnerability Data
MiniTool Partition Wizard 12.8 contains an insecure installation mechanism that allows attackers to achieve remote code execution through a man in the middle attack.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 12 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
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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.
When certificates are used to establish component provenance, the control requires correct certificate validation procedures.
Mandates approved trust anchors and issuance policies, directly preventing acceptance of unvalidated or untrusted certificates.
Correct system time is required for proper enforcement of certificate notBefore/notAfter dates and time-based revocation checks.
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.
Certificate-based authentication of users/services/hardware directly depends on correct validation.
Proper certificate validation is a core mechanism for protecting data-in-transit confidentiality and integrity.
Secure development practices explicitly include implementing correct certificate validation logic.
Assessing authenticity/integrity of acquired software often relies on code-signing certificate validation.
Identity assertions conveyed via certificates require validation to be verified.
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.
Requiring issuance and validation of public-key certificates under an approved policy reduces the chance that certificates with improper validation will be trusted.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (3 rules)
- V-248574 YUM must be configured to prevent the installation of patches, service packs, device drivers, or OL 8 system components that have not been digitally signed using a certificate that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-295
- V-248531 OL 8, for PKI-based authentication, must validate certificates by constructing a certification path (which includes status information) to an accepted trust anchor. prevents CWE-295
- V-248575 OL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-295
RHEL 7 (2 rules)
- V-204447 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components from a repository without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-295
- V-204448 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-295
RHEL 8 (2 rules)
- V-230264 RHEL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components from a repository without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-295
- V-230265 RHEL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-295