# CVE-2023-25178: Controller design flaw - unsigned firmware

> Attackers can load malicious firmware onto Honeywell C300 controllers due to missing signature verification, enabling remote code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Jul 2023
- **Updated:** 5 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mp3g-56j6-cwx7

## What is CVE-2023-25178?

CVE-2023-25178 is a critical vulnerability in Honeywell C300, published on 13 Jul 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Controller may be loaded with malicious firmware which could enable remote code execution. See Honeywell Security Notification for recommendations on upgrading and versioning.

Weakness: CWE-345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-25178?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Honeywell C300 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-25178?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-25178 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-25178 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-25178 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Honeywell C300

- [CVE-2023-24480](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-24480/): Controller stack overflow when decoding messages from the server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-25770](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25770/): Controller stack overflow on decoding messages from the server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-26597](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26597/): Controller DOS on sending error response (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-25178 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-25178 is a critical vulnerability in Honeywell C300, published on 13 Jul 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-2023-25178 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Honeywell C300. 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-2023-25178/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25178/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-25178
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-25178
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-25178

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25178/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.