CVE-2023-53983
Published: 30 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2023-53983 is a critical-severity Use of Hard-coded Credentials (CWE-798) vulnerability in Ateme Flamingo Xl Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 9.3 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Default Accounts (T1078.001); ranked at the 43.1th 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 are NIST 800-53 AC-2 (Account Management) and IA-5 (Authenticator Management).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2023-53983 is a critical vulnerability in Anevia Flamingo XL/XS version 3.6.20, stemming from weak default administrative credentials that are hard-coded and easily guessable, classified under CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials). This flaw allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely. The vulnerability received a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its potential for complete compromise.
Remote attackers require no privileges, special access, or user interaction to exploit this issue over the network with low complexity. Successful exploitation grants full remote system control, enabling unauthorized access to confidential data, modification of system integrity, and disruption of availability.
Advisories detailing mitigation are available in references such as the VulnCheck advisory (https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/anevia-flamingo-xlxs-default-credentials-authentication-bypass), Packet Storm report (https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172875/Anevia-Flamingo-XL-XS-3.6.x-Default-Hardcoded-Credentials.html), CXSecurity (https://cxsecurity.com/issue/WLB-2023060019), IBM X-Force Exchange (https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/259059), and the vendor site (https://www.ateme.com/). Practitioners should consult these for patch availability or credential change guidance.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-60534
Vulnerability details
Anevia Flamingo XL/XS 3.6.20 contains a critical vulnerability with weak default administrative credentials that can be easily guessed. Attackers can leverage these hard-coded credentials to gain full remote system control without complex authentication mechanisms.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Hard-coded default credentials enable use of default accounts (T1078.001); vulnerability in public-facing application allows remote exploitation (T1190).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
IA-5 requires managing authenticators to ensure sufficient strength of mechanism and proper initial content, directly preventing exploitation of weak, hard-coded default administrative credentials.
AC-2 mandates comprehensive account management including creation, modification, review, and disabling of privileged accounts to eliminate or secure default credentials.
SI-2 requires timely flaw remediation, such as applying vendor patches or changing hard-coded credentials as advised, to correct this specific vulnerability.