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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2023-5222 Viessmann CVE debrief

A critical vulnerability in Viessmann Vitogate 300 versions 2.1.3.0 and prior exposes affected devices to complete compromise via hard-coded credentials in the web management interface. The flaw resides in the `isValidUser` function within `/cgi-bin/vitogate.cgi`, allowing unauthenticated network attackers to gain administrative access without prior authentication. With a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to achieve confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts across the affected industrial control system gateway devices. The issue was disclosed publicly on September 10, 2024, through CISA's ICS advisory program. Viessmann Climate Solutions SE, now a Carrier brand, has released version 3.0.0.0 to remediate this vulnerability. Organizations operating Vitogate 300 devices should prioritize patching given the network-accessible attack vector and complete lack of required privileges or user interaction.

Vendor
Viessmann
Product
Vitogate 300
CVSS
CRITICAL 9.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2024-09-10
Original CVE updated
2024-09-10
Advisory published
2024-09-10
Advisory updated
2024-09-10

Who should care

Organizations operating Viessmann heating, ventilation, and climate control systems; building automation system integrators; facility management teams responsible for critical infrastructure; industrial cybersecurity teams monitoring OT/ICS environments; and any entity with Vitogate 300 devices deployed in accessible network segments.

Technical summary

The Viessmann Vitogate 300, an industrial gateway device used in building automation and climate control systems, contains a hard-coded password vulnerability in its web management interface. Specifically, the `isValidUser` function in `/cgi-bin/vitogate.cgi` fails to properly validate credentials against a secure authentication backend, instead relying on embedded credentials that can be extracted or bypassed. This architectural flaw permits unauthenticated remote attackers to authenticate as administrative users without valid credentials. The vulnerability is network-exploitable with low attack complexity, requiring no privileges or user interaction. Successful exploitation grants complete control over the device, including the ability to modify configurations, intercept traffic, and potentially pivot to connected building management systems. The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H reflects this severe exposure profile typical of embedded credential flaws in industrial IoT devices.

Defensive priority

critical

Recommended defensive actions

  • Immediately inventory all Viessmann Vitogate 300 devices and identify those running firmware version 2.1.3.0 or earlier
  • Upgrade affected devices to version 3.0.0.0 as provided by Viessmann Climate Solutions SE
  • Until patching is complete, restrict network access to Vitogate 300 management interfaces to authorized administrative hosts only
  • Monitor for unauthorized access attempts to `/cgi-bin/vitogate.cgi` on affected devices
  • Review device configurations for signs of unauthorized changes if devices were internet-accessible prior to remediation
  • Apply network segmentation to isolate Vitogate 300 devices from untrusted networks per ICS-CERT recommended practices

Evidence notes

Vulnerability confirmed through CISA ICS advisory ICSA-24-254-01. Affected versions explicitly documented as 2.1.3.0 and prior. Remediation version 3.0.0.0 confirmed available through vendor channels.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2023-5222 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5222

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2023-5222 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5222

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2024/icsa-24-254-01.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-24-254-01

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ics/alerts/ICS-ALERT-10-301-01

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/ics-recommended-practices

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Cybersecurity_Best_Practices_for_Industrial_Control_Systems.pdf

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/industrial-control-systems

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://us-cert.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/recommended_practices/NCCIC_ICS-CERT_Defense_in_Depth_2016_S508C.pdf

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ics/tips/ICS-TIP-12-146-01B

    Reference

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.