CVE-2023-7077 is a critical security vulnerability classified under CWE-22, which pertains to improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as a path traversal vulnerability. This vulnerability affects a broad range of Sharp NEC Display Solutions models, including but not limited to P403, P463, P553, P703, P801, and various X-series and E-series displays. The flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to send specially crafted HTTP requests containing unintended parameters that exploit the path traversal weakness. By manipulating the pathname input, the attacker can access files and directories outside the intended restricted directory scope. This can lead to remote code execution (RCE), where the attacker can execute arbitrary commands or code on the affected device. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8, indicating critical severity, with attack vector being network-based (AV:N), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction needed (UI:N), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability all rated high (C:H/I:H/A:H). The affected devices are typically network-connected digital displays used in various professional and commercial environments. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported as of the publication date. However, the critical nature and ease of exploitation make this a significant threat. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation and sanitization of pathname inputs in HTTP requests, enabling traversal outside the intended directories and subsequent execution of malicious payloads on the device's operating system or firmware environment.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-7077 can be substantial, particularly for sectors relying on Sharp NEC digital displays for critical communication, signage, or operational control. These devices are often deployed in corporate offices, retail environments, transportation hubs, healthcare facilities, and government buildings. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information displayed or stored on the devices, disruption of display services causing operational downtime, and potential pivot points for lateral movement within internal networks. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication significantly raises the risk of ransomware deployment, espionage, or sabotage. Given the high availability of these devices in Europe and their integration into critical infrastructure and enterprise environments, the threat could compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of organizational data and services. Additionally, compromised displays could be used as beachheads for further attacks against connected systems, amplifying the overall risk posture of affected organizations.

1. Immediate isolation of affected Sharp NEC display devices from critical network segments until patches or mitigations are applied. 2. Implement network-level access controls restricting HTTP access to these devices only from trusted management hosts or VLANs. 3. Monitor network traffic for anomalous HTTP requests targeting the display devices, especially those containing suspicious pathname parameters indicative of traversal attempts. 4. Engage with Sharp NEC Display Solutions for official firmware updates or patches addressing CVE-2023-7077 and apply them promptly once available. 5. If patches are not yet available, consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) with custom rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in HTTP requests to these devices. 6. Conduct thorough inventory and asset management to identify all affected models in the environment. 7. Educate IT and security teams about the vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include scenarios involving compromised display devices. 8. Regularly review and update device configurations to minimize exposure, such as disabling unnecessary HTTP services or interfaces if possible.