CVE-2023-43776
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 · uneditedEaton easyE4 PLC offers a device password protection functionality to facilitate a secure connection and prevent unauthorized access. It was observed that the device password was stored with a weak encoding algorithm in the easyE4 program file when exported to SD card (*.PRG file ending).
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 confidenceThe Eaton easyE4 PLC stores device passwords using a weak encoding algorithm in exported program files (*.PRG) on SD cards. An attacker with access to these files can easily decode the password due to the weak encoding (likely base64 or similar), enabling unauthorized access to the PLC device.
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< 2.02< 2.02< 2.02< 2.02< 2.02< 2.02< 2.02< 2.02CVSS 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
- Physical
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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 the PLC firmware versionConnect to the PLC via its programming software or check the device display/menu for firmware version information. Common methods include using easySoft 7 programming software or checking the device system information screen.Affected if The installed firmware version is below 2.02 (for example, 1.xx versions)
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Locate SD cards used with the PLCPhysically inspect the PLC hardware for inserted SD cards. Eaton easyE4 PLCs use SD cards for program storage and transfer. Remove the SD card if present and examine its contents.Affected if An SD card is inserted and contains *.PRG program files
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Examine PRG files for encoded contentInsert the SD card into a computer and navigate to the PRG files. Open the PRG file in a text editor or hex viewer. Look for readable or partially readable strings that may represent passwords (often appearing as base64-like character sequences).Affected if The PRG file contains base64 or similarly encoded strings that correspond to device passwords
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Verify the encoding weaknessAttempt to decode any suspected password strings found in the PRG file using base64 decoding. If the string decodes to a readable password or device credential, the weak encoding is confirmed.Affected if Passwords stored in the PRG file can be decoded using standard base64 decoding tools
A user is affected if their PLC runs firmware below version 2.02 AND they have exported PRG files on SD cards containing easily decodable password strings.
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 · scoped2.02
Await vendor patch for proper password encryption; in the meantime, restrict physical access to SD cards, avoid sharing PRG files over untrusted channels, and consider network segmentation for affected PLCs.
Firmware version 2.02 or later
- 1. Identify the current firmware version of the Eaton easyE4 device by accessing the device management interface or checking the device status.
- 2. Navigate to the official Eaton support website (www.eaton.com) and locate the firmware download section for easyE4 devices.
- 3. Download firmware version 2.02 or later for your specific device model (E4 Ac1, E4 Dc1, E4 Uc1, E4 Ac 12rc1p, E4 Ac 12rcx1p, E4 Ac 16re1p, E4 Ac 8re1p, or E4 Dc 12tc1p).
- 4. Follow Eaton's official firmware update procedure, typically involving uploading the firmware file through the device's web interface or using the easyE4 programming software.
- 5. After updating, verify the firmware version has been successfully changed to 2.02 or later.
- 6. Re-export the program file to SD card (*.PRG file) and confirm that the password is now properly stored using stronger encoding.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 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-2023-43776 — 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-2023-43776 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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