CVE-2023-29974Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Account compromise via unenforced password complexity

Published Nov 8, 2023 · Updated Sep 4, 2024

Weak password requirements in pfSense CE 2.6.0 allow remote attackers to compromise accounts by guessing trivial passwords. The WebGUI user manager accepts and saves a three-character value such as 123 as an account password without enforcing length or complexity. An administrator must first assign the weak password; an attacker can then authenticate as that account after guessing it.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.75%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Weak password requirements in pfSense CE 2.6.0 allow remote attackers to compromise accounts by guessing trivial passwords. The WebGUI user manager accepts and saves a three-character value such as 123 as an account password without enforcing length or complexity. An administrator must first assign the weak password; an attacker can then authenticate as that account after guessing it.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-29974
Published
Nov 8, 2023
Updated
Sep 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-521, T1110.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 8, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-521Weak Password Requirements
T1110.001Password Guessing

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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