CVE-2023-45866: Medium Vulnerability in Bluetooth HID Hosts

CVE-2023-45866 describes a vulnerability in Bluetooth HID Hosts found in BlueZ. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated Peripheral role HID Device to initiate and establish an encrypted connection with the Central role, potentially permitting the injection of HID messages without user interaction. The use of HID keyboard reports can lead to unauthorized actions being performed on the victim's device. This is particularly concerning as it may impact various devices running affected versions of the software.

The severity of this vulnerability is classified as medium, with a CVSS score of 6.3. The attack vector is adjacent network, which means that an attacker needs to be in proximity to the vulnerable device to exploit this issue. The attack complexity is low, requiring no privileges or user interaction. Organizations must take this vulnerability seriously, as it can expose them to significant risks, including unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

Currently, there is known proof of concept (PoC) code available on GitHub, indicating that the vulnerability may be actively exploited in the wild. Organizations should prioritize patching or implementing mitigations for this vulnerability to protect their systems.

Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. The risk to organizations includes unauthorized access and potential for exploitation without user interaction, which can lead to severe security incidents.

Vulnerability Details

This vulnerability allows Bluetooth HID Hosts in BlueZ to permit an unauthenticated Peripheral role HID Device to initiate and establish an encrypted connection, accepting HID keyboard reports. This can lead to injection of HID messages when no user interaction has occurred in the Central role to authorize such access. An example affected package is bluez 5.64-0ubuntu1 in Ubuntu 22.04LTS. Notably, in some cases, a CVE-2020-0556 mitigation may have already addressed this issue.

The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 6.3, categorized as medium severity. The attack vector is adjacent network, indicating that an attacker must be within range to exploit the vulnerability. The attack complexity is low, requiring no privileges or user interaction. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated as low.

Affected products include various versions of Android, Ubuntu, iOS, macOS, and Debian Linux, among others. The vulnerability is documented under CWE-287, which relates to improper authentication.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of Bluetooth HID connections. The vulnerable implementation allows devices to establish connections without proper authentication. This oversight enables attackers to inject commands directly into connected devices without requiring user consent.

The attack vector is classified as adjacent network, meaning that the attacker must be within physical proximity to the targeted device. The attack complexity is low, suggesting that an exploit can be executed easily without specialized skills. No privileges are required to perform the attack, and user interaction is not necessary, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous.

The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated as low, indicating that while the potential for harm exists, the overall impact on the system may not be critical. However, the ability to inject commands can lead to unauthorized actions that could compromise the device's functionality and user data.

Risk & Impact Analysis

The real-world deployment risk associated with CVE-2023-45866 is substantial. Organizations using affected versions of Bluetooth-enabled devices may find themselves exposed to unauthorized access and potential exploitation. The blast radius for this vulnerability can extend to any device that interacts with the compromised Bluetooth connection, potentially affecting multiple users and systems.

Given the CVSS score of 6.3, this vulnerability should be addressed in a priority patch cycle. Organizations utilizing devices that implement Bluetooth HID Hosts need to assess their risk posture and take necessary actions to mitigate this vulnerability to prevent unauthorized access.

The urgency assessment based on the exploitability and the availability of public PoCs indicates that organizations should take immediate action. The high percentile score of 0.96959 in the EPSS context further emphasizes the need for swift remediation efforts.

Exploitation Status

Affected Versions

Affected versions include Android versions 4.2.2, 6.0.1, 10.0, 11.0, 13.0, and 14.0, as well as various versions of Ubuntu Linux (18.04 LTS, 20.04, 22.04 LTS, and 23.10), macOS versions 12.6.7 and 13.3.3, and iOS version 16.6. The vulnerability also affects Debian Linux version 10.0 and Fedora versions 38 and 39.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should take immediate action to mitigate this vulnerability by applying the relevant patches provided by vendors. It is essential to upgrade to the latest versions of affected software, including bluez for Ubuntu users. For those unable to apply patches, reviewing Bluetooth configurations and implementing strict access controls may help reduce exposure.

Organizations should also consider conducting a thorough security assessment to evaluate the effectiveness of their defenses against such vulnerabilities. Implementing continuous security testing can help identify and address similar weaknesses in the future.

penetration testing can also aid in identifying potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited.

Detection Guidance

To detect possible exploitation attempts of CVE-2023-45866, organizations should monitor system logs for unusual Bluetooth pairing attempts and HID message transmissions. Behavioral anomalies, such as unexpected keyboard inputs from connected devices, should also be investigated. Network signatures indicating unauthorized Bluetooth connections can help identify potential attack vectors.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

CVE-2023-45866 highlights the ongoing challenges associated with Bluetooth security. As these technologies evolve, so too do the tactics employed by attackers. Organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in addressing such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and updates are paramount to ensure protection against emerging threats.

Understanding the implications of this vulnerability can lead to improved security practices across various platforms. Organizations should prioritize implementing robust security measures, including proper authentication mechanisms and regular updates to Bluetooth protocols.

Security teams can leverage insights from previous vulnerabilities to strengthen defenses and mitigate future risks.

Implementing a comprehensive vulnerability management program is essential for identifying and addressing security weaknesses effectively.

Continuous security testing can also help maintain robust defenses against evolving threats.