# CVE-2023-1618: Authentication Bypass Vulnerability in MELSEC WS Series Ethernet Interface Module

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication via hidden telnet to reset, tamper with, or rewrite firmware on Mitsubishi MELSEC WS modules.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 May 2023
- **Updated:** 12 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-37vx-v53j-77pr

## What is CVE-2023-1618?

CVE-2023-1618 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation MELSEC WS Series WS0-GETH00200, published on 19 May 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Active Debug Code vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation MELSEC WS Series WS0-GETH00200 Serial number 2310 **** and prior allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to bypass authentication and illegally log into the affected module by connecting to it via telnet which is hidden function and is enabled by default when shipped from the factory. As a result, a remote attacker with unauthorized login can reset the module, and if certain conditions are met, he/she can disclose or tamper with the module's configuration or rewrite the firmware.

Weakness: CWE-1188 (Initialization of a Resource with an Insecure Default), CWE-489 (Active Debug Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-1618?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mitsubishielectric Melsec Ws0-Geth00200 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-1618?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-1618 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-1618 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-1618 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation MELSEC WS Series WS0-GETH00200

- [CVE-2023-6374](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6374/): Auth bypass in MELSEC WS Series WS0-GETH00200 (medium 5.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-1618 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-1618 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation MELSEC WS Series WS0-GETH00200, published on 19 May 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-1618 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation MELSEC WS Series WS0-GETH00200. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1618/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1618/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-1618
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1618
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-1618

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1618/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.