CVE-2022-23746 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Gateway & Management IPsec VPN blade SNX portal, specifically when configured for username/password authentication. The vulnerability arises from improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts (CWE-307), allowing an attacker to perform brute-force attacks against the login portal. This flaw exists in multiple versions of the product, including R81.10 before take 79, R81 before take 77, R80.40 before take 180, R80.30 before take 255, and R80.20 before 230. The SNX portal is used to download and connect through the SSL Network Extender, a component that facilitates secure remote access to corporate networks via VPN. Because the portal does not adequately limit the number of failed login attempts, an attacker can systematically try large numbers of username and password combinations without being locked out or delayed, increasing the likelihood of credential compromise. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 reflects the vulnerability's network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high impact on confidentiality (C:H), and no impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). Exploitation would allow unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information by gaining access to VPN credentials, potentially enabling attackers to infiltrate corporate networks. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability presents a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and the critical role of VPN access in enterprise security architectures. The vulnerability was reserved in January 2022 and published in November 2022, with enrichment from CISA, indicating recognition by US cybersecurity authorities. No vendor patches or mitigations are linked in the provided data, suggesting organizations must verify their product versions and apply vendor updates or implement compensating controls promptly.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to confidentiality and network security. Successful brute-force attacks on the SNX portal could lead to unauthorized VPN access, allowing attackers to bypass perimeter defenses and gain entry into internal networks. This could result in data breaches involving sensitive personal data protected under GDPR, intellectual property theft, or disruption of critical business operations. Given the widespread use of VPNs for remote work, especially heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, exploitation could facilitate lateral movement within networks, espionage, or ransomware deployment. The lack of impact on integrity and availability reduces the risk of direct system manipulation or denial of service, but the confidentiality breach alone is critical. European organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly at risk due to the sensitivity of their data and regulatory requirements. The vulnerability's network accessibility and no requirement for privileges or user interaction make it attractive for opportunistic attackers and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups targeting European entities.

1. Immediate verification of the affected product versions in use is essential. Organizations should consult the vendor (Checkpoint) for official patches or updates that address this vulnerability and apply them without delay. 2. If patches are not yet available, implement compensating controls such as: - Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the SNX portal to mitigate risks from compromised credentials. - Deploy network-level protections like Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or VPN gateway rate limiting to restrict the number of authentication attempts per IP address or user account. - Monitor authentication logs for anomalous failed login attempts and implement alerting mechanisms to detect brute-force activity early. - Restrict access to the SNX portal to trusted IP ranges or via VPN segmentation where feasible. 3. Conduct regular password audits and enforce strong password policies to reduce the likelihood of successful brute-force attacks. 4. Educate users on the importance of secure credentials and phishing awareness, as credential theft could compound the risk. 5. Review and enhance incident response plans to quickly address potential compromises stemming from VPN access. These measures, combined with timely patching, will significantly reduce the exploitation risk.