# CVE-2023-28503: Authentication bypass in UniRPC's udadmin service

> Attackers can bypass authentication using a hardcoded credential to execute OS commands as root on Rocket Software UniData and UniVerse servers.

- **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:** 29 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 18 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g594-6376-7c5r

## What is CVE-2023-28503?

CVE-2023-28503 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Rocket Software UniData, published on 29 Mar 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Rocket Software UniData versions prior to 8.2.4 build 3003 and UniVerse versions prior to 11.3.5 build 1001 or 12.2.1 build 2002 suffer from an authentication bypass vulnerability, where a special username with a deterministic password can be leveraged to bypass authentication checks and execute OS commands as the root user.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication), CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-28503?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Rocketsoftware Unidata, Rocketsoftware Universe.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-28503?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-28503 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-28503 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-28503 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Rocket Software Unidata udadmin_server Authentication Bypass (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Rocket Software UniData

- [CVE-2023-28501](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28501/): Heap buffer overflow in unirpcd (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-28502](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28502/): Stack buffer overflow in UniRPC's udadmin_server service (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-28504](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28504/): Stack buffer overflow in UniRPC library function (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-28507](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28507/): Memory exhaustion in LZ4 decompression in UniRPC daemon (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-28506](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28506/): Stack buffer overflow in UniRPC service (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-28503 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-28503 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Rocket Software UniData, published on 29 Mar 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-28503 exists.

Affected product: Rocket Software UniData. 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-2023-28503/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28503/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-28503
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28503
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-28503

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28503/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.