CVE-2023-43208
RCE in Nextgen Mirth Connect ≤ 4.4.1
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2023-43208 is a critical-severity OS Command Injection (CWE-78) vulnerability in Nextgen Mirth Connect. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 0.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
NextGen Healthcare Mirth Connect versions prior to 4.4.1 contain an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability that stems from an incomplete remediation of CVE-2023-37679. The flaw is tracked under CWE-78 and CWE-502 and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8, reflecting network-accessible attack vectors that require no credentials or user interaction.
Remote attackers can send specially crafted requests to the affected server and obtain arbitrary command execution on the underlying host, enabling full system compromise including data exfiltration, persistence, or lateral movement. Public proof-of-concept material on PacketStorm demonstrates reliable exploitation against the 4.4.0 release.
CISA has added the CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and vendor guidance directs administrators to upgrade immediately to version 4.4.1 or later. Horizon3 analysis further details the deserialization and command-injection paths that must be addressed by the patch.
The vulnerability shows sustained high exploitation probability, with an EPSS score currently at 0.9442 and a recorded peak of 0.9750, consistent with its presence on the CISA KEV list.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-47627
Vulnerability Data
NextGen Healthcare Mirth Connect before version 4.4.1 is vulnerable to unauthenticated remote code execution. Note that this vulnerability is caused by the incomplete patch of CVE-2023-37679.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 20 May 2024
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V1.2.5V1.2.8V15.2.5
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.
Validates inputs to block special elements that would alter OS command execution.
Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.
Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.
Platform-independent apps typically execute inside a managed runtime or sandbox that restricts direct OS command execution, reducing the ability to exploit OS command injection.
Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.
Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.
Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.
Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.
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.PS-06's SDLC practices directly require secure coding and input handling that blocks command-injection defects, yet the single broad outcome leaves many specific neutralization vectors and verification gaps unaddressed.
Routine patching/maintenance can remediate known command-injection CVEs in dependencies (partial forward) but does nothing to stop developers from introducing improper neutralization in custom code (none reverse).
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.
Security testing and code review target insecure use of operating-system command interfaces, catching command-injection flaws introduced during development.
Requiring vetted libraries, regular updates and SAST before release reduces the likelihood that deserialization logic will accept and act on attacker-controlled serialized objects.
Regular scanning of third-party libraries and timely patching reduce the likelihood that unsafe deserialization vulnerabilities remain active.
Mandatory malware scanning of data received over networks or storage media intercepts malicious serialized payloads before they are deserialized by the target application.