Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-5909

Crypto Weakness in Ge Industrial Gateway Server ≤ 7.614

Published
30 November 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
CVSS Score v3.1 7.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0044 37th percentile
Risk Priority 57 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-5909 is a high-severity Improper Validation of Certificate with Host Mismatch (CWE-297) vulnerability in Ge Industrial Gateway Server. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Adversary-in-the-Middle (T1557); ranked at the 37th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

KEPServerEX does not properly validate certificates from clients which may allow unauthenticated users to connect.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
T1557.002 ARP Cache Poisoning Credential Access
Adversaries may poison Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) caches to position themselves between the communication of two or more networked devices.
T1557.003 DHCP Spoofing Credential Access
Adversaries may redirect network traffic to adversary-owned systems by spoofing Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) traffic and acting as a malicious DHCP server on the victim network.
T1557.004 Evil Twin Credential Access
Adversaries may host seemingly genuine Wi-Fi access points to deceive users into connecting to malicious networks as a way of supporting follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
T1557.001 Name Resolution Poisoning and SMB Relay Credential Access
By responding to LLMNR/NBT-NS/mDNS network traffic, adversaries may spoof an authoritative source for name resolution to force communication with an adversary controlled system.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-5908Same product: Ge Industrial Gateway Server
CVE-2024-49782Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2024-8285Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2025-68161Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2023-24568Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2026-44393Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2026-22747Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2026-43869Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2024-38324Shared CWE-295, CWE-297
CVE-2026-34477Shared CWE-295, CWE-297

Affected Assets

ge
industrial gateway server
≤ 7.614
ptc
keepserverex
≤ 6.14.263.0
ptc
opc-aggregator
≤ 6.14
ptc
thingworx industrial connectivity
all versions
ptc
thingworx kepware edge
≤ 1.7
ptc
thingworx kepware server
≤ 6.14.263.0
rockwellautomation
kepserver enterprise
≤ 6.14.263.0
softwaretoolbox
top server
≤ 6.14.263.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 12 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V17.2.8

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.

addresses: CWE-295 CWE-297

Mandates approved trust anchors and issuance policies, directly preventing acceptance of unvalidated or untrusted certificates.

addresses: CWE-295

When certificates are used to establish component provenance, the control requires correct certificate validation procedures.

addresses: CWE-295

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.

PR.AA-03 mostly match
prevents

Certificate-based authentication of users/services/hardware directly depends on correct validation.

PR.DS-02 mostly match
prevents

Protecting data-in-transit integrity depends on proper certificate validation to prevent MITM.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices include coding correct certificate validation logic.

ID.RA-09 partial match
prevents

Assessing authenticity/integrity of acquired software often relies on code-signing certificate validation.

PR.AA-04 partial match
prevents

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.

finds

Security testing can detect missing certificate validation and host-mismatch checks.

degrades

Network security controls include certificate validation and host-name verification to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.

degrades

Security of network services requires proper TLS configuration and certificate validation for service endpoints.

prevents

Use of cryptography mandates correct implementation of certificate validation and hostname verification.

prevents

Application security requirements include secure communication and certificate validation for external services.

mitigates

Secure system architecture principles require proper certificate validation to protect communications.

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

References