CVE-2023-49899: X-Rite MA-T6 RCE
TL;DR - CVE-2023-49899 is a critical unauthenticated remote command-execution vulnerability in X-Rite MA-T6 Kohinoor firmware before v2.33. - Upgrade to firmware v2.33 or later and restrict access from untrusted networks. - It is not listed in CISA KEV; no public PoC or confirmed in-the-wild exploitation is documented in the cited sources.
Summary
CVE-2023-49899 affects X-Rite MA-T6 Kohinoor devices running firmware before v2.33. A remote attacker who can reach the device over the network can execute arbitrary commands without authenticating first. Claroty Team82 identifies the affected product and version range. The NVD description characterizes the issue as unauthenticated remote command execution caused by incorrect verification of a communication channel’s origin.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| CVE ID | CVE-2023-49899 |
| CVSS base score | 9.8 Critical |
| CVSS vector | Not returned in the supplied NVD data; obtain the current vector from the NVD record |
| Attack vector | Network-reachable |
| Authentication / privileges required | None described; unauthenticated access |
| Affected product | X-Rite MA-T6 Kohinoor |
| Affected versions | Firmware before v2.33 |
| Fixed version | Firmware v2.33 |
| Patch available | Yes, upgrade to v2.33 or later |
| CISA KEV status | Not listed at the time of assessment |
Risk is highest where MA-T6 Kohinoor devices are reachable from office user networks, wireless networks, supplier connections, laboratory networks, or the internet. Successful exploitation could provide command execution in the security context of the device, enabling disruption, unauthorized changes, persistence, or use of the device as a foothold. The supplied references do not establish the exact command interface, listening service, or operating-system impact.
Root Cause
The underlying flaw is inadequate origin validation for a communication channel. Before allowing a requester to reach command-execution functionality, the device does not correctly establish that the request came from an authorized source. A security boundary intended to distinguish trusted device communications from unauthorized network requests is therefore not enforced correctly.
The supplied research identifies this as consistent with CWE-346, Origin Validation Error. The issue is not described as requiring credential theft, user interaction, or a vulnerable local account. The available description instead states that an unauthenticated remote attacker can execute commands when the device is reachable.
Network location alone is not an adequate trust signal. A device on an internal VLAN may still be exposed to compromised workstations, unmanaged equipment, remote-access paths, or flat operational networks. Until firmware is upgraded, enforce access control outside the affected device wherever possible.
Who’s Exposed
The specifically identified affected product is the X-Rite MA-T6 Kohinoor. Claroty Team82 identifies firmware versions before v2.33 as affected, and the fixed release identified in the supplied research is firmware v2.33. Validate the firmware version on every deployed unit instead of relying only on asset-model records. Product inventories often omit embedded-device firmware details.
The NVD data supplied for this assessment did not enumerate the product or version range. Product attribution and the remediation version therefore rely on Claroty’s disclosure record. Before a production upgrade, confirm the device model, installed firmware, and applicable upgrade package against current X-Rite support documentation. Do not apply firmware intended for a different X-Rite product or hardware revision.
Exposure depends on reachability as well as version. A vulnerable unit isolated from all untrusted networks has a smaller attack surface than one exposed through routing, port forwarding, remote maintenance, or a broadly accessible laboratory VLAN. Isolation does not remove the need to upgrade: lateral movement from a compromised internal host remains a realistic threat model.
Severity Breakdown
The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 9.8, Critical. The supplied NVD response did not include the complete CVSS vector string, so the individual vector settings must not be reconstructed from the score alone. Retrieve the current NVD record and record the authoritative vector in change-management or vulnerability-management systems.
| CVSS-related characteristic | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Base score | 9.8 |
| Severity | Critical |
| Network reachability | Described as remotely reachable |
| Authentication | Not required according to the vulnerability description |
| User interaction | Not established in the supplied sources |
| Attack complexity | Not established in the supplied sources |
| Confidentiality, integrity, availability impact | Exact CVSS component values were not supplied; arbitrary command execution indicates potentially severe impact |
The high score remains operationally significant even without reproducing the missing vector. According to the available description, an attacker does not need a valid device account, and command execution is a more serious outcome than information disclosure or limited denial of service. Prioritize remediation based on exposure and business function rather than waiting for exploit telemetry.
Exploitation Status
CVE-2023-49899 is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog based on the supplied assessment. There is therefore no CISA KEV exploitation confirmation, federal remediation deadline, or ransomware association recorded for this CVE. KEV absence is not proof that exploitation is impossible or that no private exploitation has occurred; it only indicates that the CVE is not in that catalog at the time of review.
The supplied NVD and Claroty references do not document a public proof of concept, and no reliable primary-source evidence in the reviewed material confirms exploitation in the wild. The appropriate status is therefore: public PoC not documented, active exploitation not confirmed, and CISA KEV status not listed. Because the flaw is unauthenticated, network-reachable, and capable of arbitrary command execution, exposed vulnerable devices should still receive high priority.
Analyst’s Take: The absence of a public PoC or CISA KEV listing lowers the evidence of current exploitation, but it does not offset the combination of unauthenticated access, network reachability, and arbitrary command execution. Upgrade first, then verify that affected devices are not reachable from untrusted networks while remediation is in progress.
Threat-intelligence teams should continue monitoring vendor advisories, CISA updates, exploit repositories, network detections, and incident-response reporting. A future change in exploitation status would increase urgency, but remediation should not be deferred while waiting for such confirmation.
Sources
-
NVD: CVE-2023-49899
Use the current record for the authoritative CVSS vector, updated references, and metadata. -
Claroty Team82 disclosure dashboard: CVE-2023-49899
Source for the X-Rite MA-T6 Kohinoor attribution, affected firmware before v2.33, and fixed version v2.33. -
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
The supplied assessment reports that CVE-2023-49899 is not currently listed. Absence from the catalog should not be interpreted as proof that exploitation cannot occur.
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Detection Guidance
Start with an accurate inventory of MA-T6 Kohinoor devices and collect their firmware versions. Review network-management data, DHCP and ARP records, switch-port descriptions, vulnerability scanners, and device-management systems. Search for firmware versions lower than v2.33, then identify devices with routes from user, guest, internet-facing, or third-party networks.
The supplied sources do not identify the vulnerable service, port, protocol, or vendor-specific log message. There is consequently no defensible CVE-specific log string to prescribe. Monitor for unexpected inbound connections to MA-T6 devices, especially from workstations or external addresses, followed by device restarts, configuration changes, unusual outbound connections, or process and command activity if endpoint telemetry is available.
Technical Notes
Use an asset or network-flow query that substitutes the known device inventory for the example fields:
(flow.destination_asset = "MA-T6-Kohinoor"
AND flow.direction = "inbound"
AND flow.source_zone IN ("internet", "guest", "user", "vendor")
AND flow.action = "allowed")
A generic Suricata rule can alert on traffic to a documented MA-T6 IP range, but it is not a protocol exploit signature and must be tuned to the actual device network:
alert ip $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $MAT6_NET any (
msg:"POLICY MA-T6 device connection from untrusted network";
sid:2023498991;
rev:1;
)
This alert is intentionally a policy control rather than a claim about exploit bytes. Do not label it as a confirmed CVE signature. If packet captures, vendor protocol documentation, or a validated detection from the device manufacturer become available, add protocol-specific matching only after testing for false positives.
Remediation Steps
Upgrade every affected MA-T6 Kohinoor device running firmware before v2.33 to firmware v2.33 or later. Confirm the installed version after the update and retain the firmware package, maintenance record, and validation result. The available research does not provide a detailed X-Rite patch-note narrative or a vendor CLI procedure, so use the current X-Rite-supported firmware delivery process rather than an undocumented command.
Until the upgrade is complete, restrict management and device communications to explicitly authorized hosts. Block internet exposure, remove unnecessary routes, limit vendor access to approved maintenance windows, and place the device in a segmented VLAN with deny-by-default ingress rules. For approved remote maintenance, administrators may use a business-appropriate VPN service such as Check NordVPN pricing →, but a VPN does not replace device segmentation, access controls, or firmware updates. If the device cannot be patched or isolated, consider taking it out of service after assessing operational impact.
For broader guidance on protecting remote connections, see our VPN security FAQ.
Technical Notes
The following is an example temporary Linux gateway control. Replace the address and interface with values from the local design; it is a network workaround, not a firmware upgrade:
sudo nft add rule inet filter forward ip daddr 192.0.2.50 ip saddr != 192.0.2.10 drop
sudo nft add rule inet filter forward ip daddr 192.0.2.50 ip saddr 192.0.2.11 tcp dport 443 accept
The example permits only an authorized management host and blocks other forwarded traffic to the device. If the device uses a documented service other than TCP 443, adjust the rule only after confirming the service through approved product documentation. Persist and review the firewall policy according to the organization’s platform procedures.
For the upgrade itself, the actionable target is:
Target product: X-Rite MA-T6 Kohinoor
Target firmware: v2.33 or later
Current versions requiring remediation: any version before v2.33
Do not invent or run a vendor firmware command when no supported CLI procedure is available in the cited sources. Obtain the correct package and installation instructions from X-Rite, verify package integrity where the vendor provides verification data, back up supported configuration data, and test the device after reboot.
If investigation finds evidence of unauthorized persistence or modified device software, treat the system as potentially compromised and involve incident response. Review related concepts such as rootkits and persistence mechanisms when interpreting suspicious post-exploitation behavior, while recognizing that the supplied sources do not establish that this CVE specifically installs a rootkit.