CVE-2023-46453
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 · uneditedCertain GL.iNet devices with 4.x firmware allow authentication bypass (resulting in administrative control of the device) via a username that is both a valid SQL statement and a valid regular expression. For example, this affects version 4.3.7 on GL-MT3000 GL-AR300M GL-B1300 GL-AX1800 GL-AR750S GL-MT2500 GL-AXT1800 GL-X3000 and GL-SFT1200.
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 confidenceGL.iNet routers with 4.x firmware contain an authentication bypass vulnerability where the username input field improperly processes values that function as both valid SQL statements and valid regular expressions. This allows attackers to manipulate authentication logic and gain administrative access without valid credentials.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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
- 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 GL.iNet device on networkAccess your router or network device management interface and confirm the device manufacturer is GL.iNet. Check the device model number and label.Affected if Device is a GL.iNet branded router or access point
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Check firmware versionLog into the device admin panel and navigate to System > Firmware or System > Overview to view the installed firmware version. Compare against the affected 4.x range, noting that 4.3.7 is specifically listed as affected.Affected if Firmware version starts with 4.x (for example, 4.0.0 through 4.3.7 and potentially later 4.x versions)
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Verify remote administrative access is enabledIn the admin panel, go to System > Administration or Network > Firewall settings. Check if Remote Web Management or Allow remote access is enabled, and note the allowed IP ranges or if it permits any IP (0.0.0.0).Affected if Remote administrative access is enabled and accessible from untrusted networks
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Confirm admin interface is internet-facingUse an external IP or VPN test from outside your local network to determine if the GL.iNet admin login page (typically on port 80/443) responds to remote requests. Check router port forwarding or firewall rules for port 80/443 open to WAN.Affected if Admin interface responds to requests from outside the local network
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Review active admin sessionsIn the admin panel, check System > Administration > Active Sessions or similar log section for any administrative sessions you do not recognize, especially sessions from unexpected IP addresses or with administrator privileges.Affected if Unexpected or unauthorized admin sessions are active or logged
A GL.iNet device running 4.x firmware with remote web management enabled and exposed to untrusted networks is likely vulnerable to this authentication bypass.
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 dataImmediately restrict administrative interface exposure to trusted networks, disable remote management if enabled, and apply vendor firmware updates when available for all affected GL.iNet device models.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-46453 — 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-2023-46453 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