CVE-2023-54337 Overview
CVE-2023-54337 is a denial of service vulnerability affecting Sysax Multi Server version 6.95. The vulnerability exists in the administrative password field, where improper input validation allows attackers to crash the application by overwriting the password field with 800 bytes of repeated characters. This triggers an application crash that disrupts server functionality and availability.
Critical Impact
Attackers with local access and administrative privileges can crash the Sysax Multi Server application, causing service disruption and potential data unavailability for all connected users.
Affected Products
- Sysax Multi Server 6.95
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-01-13 - CVE CVE-2023-54337 published to NVD
- 2026-01-13 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2023-54337
Vulnerability Analysis
This denial of service vulnerability stems from improper restriction of excessive data size (CWE-1284) in the Sysax Multi Server administrative interface. The vulnerability is exploitable through local access, requiring administrative privileges and user interaction to trigger the crash condition. The attack results in complete loss of system availability while confidentiality and integrity remain unaffected.
The vulnerability requires an authenticated administrator to interact with the password field in a specific manner. When the password field receives an oversized input of approximately 800 bytes of repeated characters, the application fails to properly validate the input length before processing, leading to an unhandled condition that crashes the server.
Root Cause
The root cause of CVE-2023-54337 is improper restriction of excessive data size (CWE-1284) in the password field handling routine. The application does not implement adequate boundary checks on the administrative password field input, allowing excessively long strings to be processed without validation. This improper input handling causes the application to enter an unstable state and crash.
Attack Vector
The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, meaning the attacker must have direct access to the system where Sysax Multi Server is installed. The exploitation requires administrative privileges and some form of user interaction. An attacker with local administrative access can exploit this vulnerability by entering approximately 800 bytes of repeated characters into the password field through the administrative interface, triggering an application crash.
The exploitation mechanism involves buffer overflow-like behavior in the password field where the application fails to properly handle oversized input, resulting in a denial of service condition. Additional technical details and proof-of-concept information are available through the Exploit-DB entry #51066 and the VulnCheck Advisory for Sysax.
Detection Methods for CVE-2023-54337
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected Sysax Multi Server application crashes or service terminations
- Audit logs showing administrative password change attempts with unusually large input data
- Multiple failed service restarts in close succession indicating repeated exploitation attempts
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Sysax Multi Server process health and implement alerting for unexpected application terminations
- Review Windows Event Logs for application crash events associated with the Sysax Multi Server executable
- Implement input length monitoring on administrative interfaces if web application firewall capabilities are available
Monitoring Recommendations
- Configure process monitoring to alert on Sysax Multi Server crashes with automatic restart capabilities
- Enable verbose logging for administrative actions within the Sysax Multi Server configuration
- Monitor system resource usage for anomalies that may precede application crashes
How to Mitigate CVE-2023-54337
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict administrative access to trusted users only and implement principle of least privilege
- Limit physical and remote access to systems running Sysax Multi Server
- Implement network segmentation to isolate Sysax Multi Server administrative interfaces from untrusted networks
- Monitor for application crashes and configure automatic service restart policies
Patch Information
Check the Sysax Website for updated versions of Sysax Multi Server that may address this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade to the latest available version as soon as a patched release becomes available.
Workarounds
- Restrict administrative interface access to trusted IP addresses only using firewall rules
- Implement strong access controls limiting who can access the Sysax Multi Server administrative console
- Consider using a web application firewall to filter requests with oversized input data to administrative endpoints
# Configuration example - Restrict access to Sysax administrative interface
# Windows Firewall rule to limit admin access to specific IP addresses
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Restrict Sysax Admin Access" dir=in action=allow protocol=tcp localport=<ADMIN_PORT> remoteip=<TRUSTED_IP_RANGE>
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
