CVE-2023-53739
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:XSummary
CVE-2023-53739 is a critical-severity Password in Configuration File (CWE-260) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 9.9 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Credentials In Files (T1552.001); ranked at the 47th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-28 (Protection of Information at Rest) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-60177
Vulnerability Data
Tinycontrol LAN Controller v3 LK3 version 1.58a contains an unauthenticated vulnerability that allows remote attackers to download configuration backup files containing sensitive credentials. Attackers can retrieve the lk3_settings.bin file and extract base64-encoded user and admin passwords without authentication.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
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Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
SC-28 requires confidentiality protection of information at rest, which stops exposure of passwords stored in accessible config files.
AC-3 enforces access authorizations on system resources including config files, preventing unauthorized actors from reaching the stored password.
AC-6 applies least privilege so fewer processes or users can read the config file containing the password, shrinking exposure without eliminating the storage practice.
IA-5 requires storing authenticators so they are protected from unauthorized disclosure, directly stopping plaintext passwords in config files.
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.
Encrypting or restricting data-at-rest directly prevents readable passwords in config files.
Secure configuration baselines explicitly disallow plaintext secrets in files.
Least-privilege file permissions can limit access to the config but do not address the stored secret itself.
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.
Configuration management processes can enforce removal of secrets from config files, but the control is broader.
Directly requires secure generation, storage and handling of authentication secrets, preventing passwords in config files.
Cryptographic controls can protect stored credentials, but do not address the root practice of embedding passwords in files.
Secure coding standards discourage hard-coded credentials, reducing the likelihood of passwords in configuration files.
Mandates secure authentication mechanisms and secret management, mitigating exposure of passwords in configuration files.
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).
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
- V-204620 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must not have a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server package installed unless needed. prevents CWE-260