CVE-2023-45237VulnerabilityPublished 16 Jan 2024Updated 4 Nov 2025

CVE-2023-45237: TianoCore edk2 · PRNG

Affects TianoCore edk2Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.3 Medium.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

5.3Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.9% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 62% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: Low
Integrity: None
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the impacted component.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Jan 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-25.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

1. Monitor TianoCore and vendor advisories for patches addressing CVE-2023-45237 and apply firmware updates promptly once available. 2. Until patches are released, implement network-level defenses such as TCP sequence number randomization or enhanced firewall rules to detect and block suspicious TCP session attempts. 3. Employ network intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) configured to identify anomalous TCP sequence behaviors indicative of session hijacking attempts. 4. Restrict network access to critical systems using edk2 firmware, especially from untrusted or external networks, via segmentation and VPNs. 5. Conduct regular network traffic analysis to detect unusual TCP connection patterns or repeated connection resets. 6. Coordinate with hardware vendors to confirm affected device models and firmware versions in use and prioritize their remediation. 7. Educate network administrators about the risks of predictable TCP ISNs and encourage vigilance in monitoring network sessions. 8. Consider deploying additional cryptographic protections at higher layers (e.g., TLS) to mitigate confidentiality risks from TCP-level attacks.

Description

EDK2's Network Package is susceptible to a predictable TCP Initial Sequence Number. This vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to gain unauthorized access and potentially lead to a loss of Confidentiality.

Impact

For European organizations, the vulnerability poses a risk primarily to systems using affected edk2 firmware versions, which are common in UEFI-based devices including servers, desktops, and embedded systems. Exploitation could allow attackers to hijack TCP sessions, potentially gaining unauthorized access to internal network communications or sensitive data, leading to confidentiality breaches. This is particularly concerning for sectors with high-value data or critical infrastructure, such as finance, telecommunications, energy, and government agencies. The medium severity score indicates a moderate risk; however, the ease of exploitation without authentication and user interaction increases the threat level in network-exposed environments. Organizations with remote or untrusted network access should be especially vigilant. The vulnerability does not directly impact system integrity or availability but can serve as a stepping stone for further attacks. The absence of known exploits suggests a window for preventive action before active exploitation occurs.

CWE-338Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) (opens in a new tab)
Base weaknessLikelihood of exploit: MediumOWASP Top 10 A04:2025: Cryptographic Failures (opens in a new tab)
The product uses a Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) in a security context, but the PRNG's algorithm is not cryptographically strong.
Implementation
Use functions or hardware which use a hardware-based random number generation for all crypto. This is the recommended solution. Use CyptGenRandom on Windows, or hw_rand() on Linux.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Transport Layer Protection (opens in a new tab)
User Privacy Protection (opens in a new tab)
Password Storage (opens in a new tab)
Cryptographic Storage (opens in a new tab)
HSTS (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V6.3.3 (opens in a new tab)
V6.3.2 (opens in a new tab)
V6.3.1 (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 4 Nov 2025, 18:54 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-338

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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