CVE-2023-5406
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 · uneditedServer communication with a controller can lead to remote code execution using a specially crafted message from the controller. 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 confidenceIn server-controller communication within Honeywell security systems, a specially crafted message sent from the controller can trigger remote code execution on the server. This represents a supply chain-style attack where a compromised or malicious controller can exploit the server's handling of controller communications.
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
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Honeywell security server software installationCheck system for installed Honeywell security software by reviewing installed programs on Windows (Control Panel > Programs) or using command 'dpkg --list' on Linux. Look for software names containing 'Honeywell', 'Security', 'Pro-Watch', 'NetAXS', or similar Honeywell security product names.Affected if Honeywell security server software is installed and communicating with controllers
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Determine the installed server software versionLocate the version information in the software's main executable, about dialog, or installation directory. Common paths: C:\Program Files\Honeywell\ or /opt/honeywell/. Check README files, version.txt, or right-click the main executable and view Properties > Details.Affected if The installed version falls within any affected version range published by Honeywell for this CVE
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Verify controller communication feature is enabledExamine the server configuration files and settings for enabled controller communication protocols (typically serial, IP, or network-based controller interfaces). Look for configuration panels or settings named 'Controller Settings', 'Communication Ports', 'Panel Configuration', or similar.Affected if Controller communication interfaces are configured and active, allowing inbound messages from controllers
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Review server logs for suspicious controller messagesAccess the Honeywell server logs, typically found in installation directories under /logs/ or /event/ folders. Search for anomalous messages, particularly from controllers that may indicate malformed or unexpected message handling.Affected if Logs show unexpected or malformed controller messages that could indicate exploitation attempts or a compromised controller
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Check for unauthorized controller registrationsReview the controller management interface or configuration database for any unauthorized or unexpected controller devices registered to communicate with the server.Affected if Unauthorized or unknown controllers are listed as active on the system
A user is affected if Honeywell security server software with controller communication is installed and the installed version matches the affected range published by Honeywell for CVE-2023-5406.
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 dataConsult the Honeywell Security Notification for specific upgrade paths and versioning recommendations; apply vendor-provided patches or firmware updates to affected systems.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA8.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $12,352.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-5406 — 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-2023-5406 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