CVE-2023-25718
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 · uneditedIn ConnectWise Control through 22.9.10032 (formerly known as ScreenConnect), after an executable file is signed, additional instructions can be added without invalidating the signature, such as instructions that result in offering the end user a (different) attacker-controlled executable file. It is plausible that the end user may allow the download and execution of this file to proceed. There are ConnectWise Control configuration options that add mitigations.
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 confidenceThis is a signature append/vulnerability where additional instructions can be added to a digitally signed executable without invalidating its signature. Attackers can leverage this to deliver attacker-controlled executables disguised as legitimately signed software, exploiting user trust in signed binaries.
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<= 22.9.10032CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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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Check installed ConnectWise Control versionLocate the ConnectWise Control installation directory (typically C:\Program Files\ConnectWise Control or C:\Program Files (x86)\ConnectWise Control) and check the version of the main executable (e.g., ScreenConnect.ClientEngine.exe or ScreenConnect.exe). Right-click the file, select Properties, and view the Details tab for version information, or use PowerShell: (Get-Item 'C:\Program Files\ConnectWise Control\ScreenConnect.exe').VersionInfo.FileVersionAffected if The installed version is 22.9.10032 or earlier (any version <= 22.9.10032)
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Verify digital signature integrity on ConnectWise executablesUse the Windows sigcheck utility (sigcheck.exe -i <executable_path>) or PowerShell (Get-AuthenticodeSignature 'C:\Program Files\Connectwise Control\ScreenConnect.exe') to examine the digital signature. Check if the signature remains valid and no additional data has been appended after the signature table.Affected if The executable shows a valid signature but has unexpected data appended, or sigcheck reports 'Signed but with additional data'
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Inspect executable file structure for appended contentExamine the executable file size and structure. Compare the declared PE section sizes against the actual file size. Use a PE analysis tool or check: (Get-Item 'C:\Program Files\ConnectWise Control\ScreenConnect.exe').Length to get file size, then compare against expected size for the version. Also check for any .aspack or other wrapper signatures that may indicate modification.Affected if File size significantly exceeds what is expected for the declared PE sections, or additional unsigned content exists after the PE signature boundary
A user is affected if ConnectWise Control version 22.9.10032 or earlier is installed, especially if executable files show valid digital signatures but contain appended data or have unexpected file sizes indicating modification after signing.
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.
dbcve · scopedEnable available ConnectWise Control configuration mitigations and update to a patched version beyond 22.9.10032. Review digital signature validation processes and restrict executable downloads where possible.
Version 23.9.7 or later (specifically 23.9.7.10137+)
- 1. Back up your ConnectWise Control database and configuration files before proceeding
- 2. Download the latest ConnectWise Control version (23.9.7 or later) from the official ConnectWise Control Portal or your license email
- 3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen upgrade instructions
- 4. After upgrade, verify the version by navigating to Help > About in the Control client
- 5. Alternatively, check the version via the web interface in Administration > Support
- 6. Review and configure the following mitigations mentioned in the advisory: Enable 'Require Access Token for Downloads' and restrict the Access Token to specific IP addresses if possible
- 7. Ensure all clients update to the latest version of the ScreenConnect/ConnectWise Control client
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-25718 — 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-2023-25718 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
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data