CVE-2023-38557

Local privilege escalation via writable update script

Published Sep 14, 2023 · Updated Feb 27, 2025

Improper permissions in Siemens Spectrum Power 7 before 23Q3 allow local users to inject code into an update script and escalate privileges. The product assigns access rights to the update script that permit an authenticated local user to alter it with arbitrary code. Successful exploitation requires authenticated local access and executes attacker-supplied code with higher privileges, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper permissions in Siemens Spectrum Power 7 before 23Q3 allow local users to inject code into an update script and escalate privileges. The product assigns access rights to the update script that permit an authenticated local user to alter it with arbitrary code. Successful exploitation requires authenticated local access and executes attacker-supplied code with higher privileges, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38557
Published
Sep 14, 2023
Updated
Feb 27, 2025
Vendor
Siemens
Product
Spectrum Power 7
Classifications
CWE-732, T1548
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 27, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=All versions < V23Q3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Siemens · Spectrum Power 7version=All versions < V23Q3

Published CVSS scores

8.2Siemens AGCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1548Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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