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Superb 3 FirmwareOperating system · Skoda Auto

CVE-2023-28899

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-01-12
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

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 · unedited
By sending a specific reset UDS request via OBDII port of Skoda vehicles, it is possible to cause vehicle engine shutdown and denial of service of other vehicle components even when the vehicle is moving at a high speed. No safety critical functions affected. 

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 confidence

A vulnerability in Skoda vehicles allows an attacker with physical access to the OBDII port to send a specific reset UDS (Unified Diagnostic Services) request that causes sudden engine shutdown and denial of service for other vehicle components, even at high speeds. The attack exploits lack of proper authentication or input validation on diagnostic reset commands.

MitigationImplement authentication/authorization for sensitive UDS commands via the OBDII port and add input validation to prevent unsafe reset requests from executing, particularly when the vehicle is in motion.

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
Superb 3 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions

CVSS 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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm vehicle model
    Locate the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the registration documents, dashboard, or driver-side door jamb sticker. Decode the VIN or check the vehicle badge to verify the model is Skoda Auto Superb 3.
    Affected if The vehicle is a Skoda Auto Superb 3 model, as this is the only affected model listed.
  2. Check firmware version
    Connect an OBDII scanner or diagnostic tool to the OBDII port (located under the dashboard, driver's side). Retrieve the ECU firmware version information from the engine control unit (ECU) or diagnostic menu.
    Affected if Any firmware version is installed, as the advisory states all versions are affected.
  3. Verify OBDII port accessibility
    Inspect the OBDII port location under the dashboard. Determine if the port is exposed or easily accessible without removing dashboard panels. Note any physical security measures (port covers, locks).
    Affected if The OBDII port is physically accessible, which is required for the attacker to send malicious UDS commands.
  4. Check UDS diagnostic service protection
    Using an OBDII diagnostic tool with UDS protocol support, attempt to issue a diagnostic reset command (such as UDS reset service 0x11) without any authentication. Observe whether the command is accepted and executed by the ECU.
    Affected if Diagnostic reset commands execute without requiring any authentication, PIN, or security token, indicating the lack of authorization controls described in the vulnerability.
  5. Test for motion-state validation
    While the vehicle is stationary, use a diagnostic tool to send a UDS reset command. Note whether the ECU validates vehicle speed or gear position before executing the reset. This may require checking ECU logs or response codes.
    Affected if The ECU accepts and executes reset commands regardless of vehicle speed or motion state, indicating no input validation is performed before dangerous commands.

If the vehicle is a Skoda Auto Superb 3 and its OBDII port accepts unauthenticated UDS reset commands without verifying vehicle state, the environment is affected by this vulnerability.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Implement authentication/authorization for sensitive UDS commands via the OBDII port and add input validation to prevent unsafe reset requests from executing, particularly when the vehicle is in motion.

Fix this in Superb 3 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation40.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
72.0 hours of engineering $12,640
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-28899 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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