# CVE-2023-42770: Red Lion Controls Sixnet RTU Authentication Bypass Using An Alternative Path Or Channel

> Attackers can bypass authentication on Red Lion RTUs by sending messages over TCP instead of UDP, allowing unauthorized access to industrial control systems.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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:** 21 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 11 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vwrm-49fw-hjgj

## What is CVE-2023-42770?

CVE-2023-42770 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Red Lion Controls ST-IPm-6350, published on 21 Nov 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Red Lion SixTRAK and VersaTRAK Series RTUs with authenticated users enabled (UDR-A) any Sixnet UDR message will meet an authentication challenge over UDP/IP. When the same message is received over TCP/IP the RTU will simply accept the message with no authentication challenge.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality), CWE-288 (Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-42770?

It affects 6 products.


Products: Redlioncontrols St-Ipm-6350 Firmware, Redlioncontrols St-Ipm-8460 Firmware, Redlioncontrols Vt-Ipm2m-113-D Firmware, Redlioncontrols Vt-Ipm2m-213-D Firmware, Redlioncontrols Vt-Mipm-135-D Firmware, Redlioncontrols Vt-Mipm-245-D Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-42770?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-42770 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-42770 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-42770 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Red Lion Controls ST-IPm-6350

- [CVE-2023-40151](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40151/): Red Lion Controls Sixnet RTU Exposed Dangerous Method Or Function (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-42770 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-42770 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Red Lion Controls ST-IPm-6350, published on 21 Nov 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-2023-42770 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Red Lion Controls ST-IPm-6350. 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-2023-42770/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42770/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-42770
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-42770
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-42770

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42770/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.