CVE-2023-5389
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 · uneditedAn attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to the ability to modify files on Honeywell Experion ControlEdge VirtualUOC and ControlEdge UOC . This exploit could be used to write a file that may result in unexpected behavior based on configuration changes or updating of files that could result in subsequent execution of a malicious application if triggered. Honeywell recommends updating to the most recent version of the product. See Honeywell Security Notification for recommendations on upgrading and versioning.
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 confidenceArbitrary file write vulnerability in Honeywell Experion ControlEdge VirtualUOC and ControlEdge UOC allowing modification of configuration or system files, potentially enabling code execution through malicious file placement.
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 dataall versionsall versionsCVSS 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
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
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 ControlEdge UOC installationCheck system for Honeywell ControlEdge Unit Operations Controller or Virtual UOC software/services. Look for processes named 'ControlEdge', 'UOC', or related Honeywell processes using 'tasklist' (Windows) or 'ps' (Linux). Check installed programs or firmware boot messages.Affected if Honeywell ControlEdge UOC or Virtual UOC firmware is present on the system
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Verify product model and typeConfirm the specific variant by checking system information, device dashboard, or firmware identification. Look for references to 'Unit Operations Controller', 'UOC', or 'VirtualUOC' in device metadata or web management interface.Affected if Device is identified as ControlEdge UOC or ControlEdge VirtualUOC (any firmware version)
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Check for exposed management interfacesReview network configuration for open ports associated with the ControlEdge management interface. Common ports include HTTP/HTTPS (80/443) or custom industrial protocols. Use 'netstat -an' to list listening ports.Affected if Management or web interface is accessible from network (vulnerability can be exploited remotely)
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Inspect file write permissionsExamine the configuration or file upload mechanisms in the ControlEdge management interface. Look for features that allow uploading, modifying, or writing configuration files, scripts, or system files.Affected if File upload or configuration modification features are available without strict validation
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Review configuration directories for unauthorized changesCheck system and configuration directories for unexpected files, particularly in locations where the UOC stores configuration (e.g., config folders, system directories). Look for newly created or modified executable or script files.Affected if Unexpected files exist in configuration or system directories, or recent modifications to configuration files are found
The environment is affected if Honeywell ControlEdge Unit Operations Controller or Virtual UOC firmware is running, regardless of version, especially if management interfaces are network-accessible.
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 dataUpdate to the most recent version of the product as recommended in the Honeywell Security Notification; implement network segmentation and restrict access to management interfaces.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing16.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $9,856.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-5389 — 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-2023-5389 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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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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