CVE-2023-33220
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 · uneditedDuring the retrofit validation process, the firmware doesn't properly check the boundaries while copying some attributes to check. This allows a stack-based buffer overflow that could lead to a potential Remote Code Execution on the targeted device
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 confidenceA stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the firmware's retrofit validation process. The firmware fails to perform proper boundary checking when copying attributes during validation, allowing an attacker to overflow a stack-based buffer and potentially achieve remote code execution.
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< 4.15.5< 4.15.5< 4.15.5< 4.15.5< 2.12.2< 2.12.2< 2.12.2< 1.2.7CVSS 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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Identify your Idemia device modelLocate the physical device or check your inventory/asset management system to determine the exact model: Sigma Lite, Sigma Lite+, Sigma Extreme, Sigma Wide, Morphowave Compact, Morphowave Xp, Visionpass, or Morphowave SpAffected if The device is any of these eight models and the retrofit validation feature is in use
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Determine the installed firmware versionAccess the device admin interface or check via the vendor's management software. The firmware version is typically found in System > About, Device Information, or Firmware Status sectionAffected if The firmware version cannot be verified or is below the fixed version for your model
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Compare firmware version to affected rangesFor Sigma models (Lite, Lite+, Extreme, Wide): compare your version to 4.15.5. For Morphowave Compact, Morphowave Xp, Visionpass: compare to 2.12.2. For Morphowave Sp: compare to 1.2.7Affected if Your installed version is less than 4.15.5 (Sigma), less than 2.12.2 (Morphowave Compact/Xp, Visionpass), or less than 1.2.7 (Morphowave Sp)
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Check if retrofit validation is enabledIn the device admin interface, look for settings related to retrofit validation, validation process, or attribute validation under the relevant configuration or system settings sectionAffected if Retrofit validation feature is configured or enabled on the device
You are affected if your Idemia device matches one of the eight models AND your firmware version is below the threshold for that model AND the retrofit validation feature is in use.
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 · scoped1.2.72.12.24.15.5
Apply the vendor-provided firmware patch when available; until then, restrict network access to affected devices and monitor for indicators of compromise.
Sigma Lite/Lite+/Extreme/Wide: 4.15.5 | Morphowave Compact/Xp, Visionpass: 2.12.2 | Morphowave Sp: 1.2.7
- Obtain the correct firmware version for your specific device model from IDEMIA's official support portal or by contacting IDEMIA technical support
- For Sigma Lite, Sigma Lite+, Sigma Extreme, and Sigma Wide devices: Upgrade to firmware version 4.15.5 or later
- For Morphowave Compact and Morphowave Xp devices: Upgrade to firmware version 2.12.2 or later
- For Visionpass devices: Upgrade to firmware version 2.12.2 or later
- For Morphowave Sp devices: Upgrade to firmware version 1.2.7 or later
- Follow the standard firmware update procedure provided in the IDEMIA device documentation, typically involving uploading the firmware file through the device's web interface or management software
- After upgrade, verify the firmware version has been successfully applied
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation6.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-33220 — 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-2023-33220 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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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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