CVE-2023-0228
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedImproper Authentication vulnerability in ABB Symphony Plus S+ Operations.This issue affects Symphony Plus S+ Operations: from 2.X through 2.1 SP2, 2.2, from 3.X through 3.3 SP1, 3.3 SP2.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceAn improper authentication vulnerability in ABB Symphony Plus S+ Operations allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability affects versions 2.X through 2.1 SP2, 2.2, and 3.X through 3.3 SP1, 3.3 SP2, with a CVSS score of 8.8 indicating high severity and potential for unauthorized access to the industrial control system.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data>= 2.0, < 2.1>= 3.0, < 3.3= 2.1= 2.2= 3.3CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed version of ABB Symphony Plus S+ OperationsLocate the software version through the product's built-in about dialog, system information panel, or by checking the installed programs list in the Windows Control Panel. The version is typically displayed in the main application under Help > About or in the installation directory readme files.Affected if The installed version matches 2.0 through 2.1 SP2, 2.2, or 3.0 through 3.3 SP2 (specifically >= 2.0 to < 2.1, = 2.1, = 2.2, >= 3.0 to < 3.3, or = 3.3)
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Confirm the Operations web interface or remote access is enabledCheck if the S+ Operations web server component or any remote connectivity feature is enabled. This is typically configured in the system administration console or Windows services panel where the Operations web service is listed as running.Affected if The web interface or remote access service is actively running and accessible over the network
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Verify the authentication module configurationInspect the authentication configuration settings within the Symphony Plus Operations administration panel. Look for settings related to session management, login mechanisms, or authentication enforcement.Affected if The authentication module is configured to allow remote connections without proper credential validation, or if anonymous or default authentication profiles are enabled
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Test for authentication bypassAttempt to access protected resources or administrative functions through the web interface without providing valid credentials. Observe whether the system grants access or returns an authentication error.Affected if Protected endpoints are accessible without valid authentication credentials, indicating the bypass vulnerability is present
A user is affected if their ABB Symphony Plus S+ Operations version falls within 2.0 to 2.1 SP2, 2.2, or 3.0 to 3.3 SP2 AND the remote web interface or authentication module is enabled and permits unauthenticated access to protected functions.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data2.13.3
Apply vendor-supplied patches when available; until then, implement compensating controls such as network segmentation, strict access controls, and enhanced monitoring of authentication events.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-0228 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-0228 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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