VulnerabilityPublished 29 Jan 2024Updated 2 Jun 2025

CVE-2023-51842: Ylianst MeshCentral · An Algorithm-downgrade Issue Was Discovered

Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.5High

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

EPSS: 0.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 57% 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:H/I:N/A:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
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: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
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 29 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 26 Oct 2026.

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 or the CVSS exploit maturity 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

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
GitHubylianst/MeshCentral`pkg:github/ylianst/MeshCentral`Other threats	Affected =1.1.16	Fixed in–

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AI-suggested

Given the lack of official patches or vendor advisories in the provided data, European organizations should take immediate steps to mitigate risk. First, they should audit their environments to identify any deployments of MeshCentral version 1.1.16 or earlier. If found, organizations should isolate these instances from public or untrusted networks to reduce exposure. Network-level controls such as firewall rules or VPN restrictions can limit access to the management interface. Organizations should also enforce the use of strong cryptographic protocols and disable support for legacy or weak algorithms in the MeshCentral configuration if possible. Monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns or signs of downgrade attempts can help detect exploitation attempts early. Additionally, organizations should subscribe to vendor or community channels for MeshCentral to receive timely updates and apply patches as soon as they become available. Implementing multi-factor authentication and strict access controls around remote management tools can further reduce risk. Finally, conducting regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on remote management infrastructure will help identify and remediate weaknesses proactively.

Description

An algorithm-downgrade issue was discovered in Ylianst MeshCentral 1.1.16.

Impact

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be significant, especially for those relying on MeshCentral for remote device management and IT infrastructure control. The loss of confidentiality could expose sensitive corporate data, credentials, or internal communications to attackers, leading to potential data breaches or unauthorized system access. This is particularly critical for sectors with stringent data protection requirements under GDPR, such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies. The ability to exploit this vulnerability remotely without authentication increases the attack surface and risk of widespread exploitation. Additionally, compromised remote management tools could serve as a foothold for further lateral movement within networks, escalating the severity of potential incidents. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for mitigation, but the high CVSS score and ease of exploitation underscore the urgency for European organizations to address this vulnerability promptly to avoid compliance violations and operational disruptions.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 3 Jul 2025, 17:42 UTC

Technical details

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