Patch Tuesday March 2023 CVE Codes & Titles

In March 2023, Microsoft released its Patch Tuesday update, which addressed 80 vulnerabilities, including 9 critical ones. These vulnerabilities span a wide range of Microsoft products and services, from Microsoft Outlook to Windows Server.

One of the most pressing vulnerabilities in this release is in Microsoft Outlook, with CVE-2023-23397 already being exploited. External attackers could send specially crafted emails to leak Net-NTLMv2 hash information of the victim to the attacker. Microsoft recommends updating the system as soon as possible to prevent further exploitation of this vulnerability.

Another critical vulnerability fixed in this update is the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Remote Code Execution vulnerability, CVE-2023-23415. Although it has not yet been exploited, Microsoft warns that it is likely to be exploited in the future. The vulnerability can be exploited by sending a low-level protocol error containing a fragmented IP packet inside another ICMP packet in its header to the target machine.

The third critical vulnerability, CVE-2023-23392, affects only Windows Server 2022 and is specific to the HTTP protocol stack. An unauthenticated attacker could send a specially crafted packet to a targeted server utilizing the HTTP Protocol Stack (http.sys) to process packets. Although this vulnerability has not yet been exploited, Microsoft warns that it is likely to be exploited in the future.

Microsoft has provided alternative mitigation options for some of the critical vulnerabilities. For instance, users can add themselves to the Protected Users Security Group to prevent the use of NTLM as an authentication mechanism or block TCP 445/SMB outbound from their network. Additionally, disabling HTTP/3 can mitigate the vulnerability CVE-2023-23392. However, it is crucial to note that updating to the latest patch updates is still the most effective way to prevent exploitation.

Apart from the critical vulnerabilities, Microsoft also fixed other vulnerabilities such as elevation of privilege, information disclosure, remote code execution, and denial of service. System administrators should stay up-to-date on Patch Tuesday releases and ensure that their network is secured against potential exploits. Microsoft continues to prioritize patching vulnerabilities and releasing regular updates to enhance the security of their products.

In conclusion, the March 2023 Patch Tuesday update addressed several vulnerabilities in Microsoft products and services, including critical ones such as in Microsoft Outlook, ICMP Remote Code Execution, and HTTP Protocol Stack. Microsoft provides alternative mitigation options, but updating to the latest patch updates remains the most effective way to prevent exploitation. It is crucial for system administrators to prioritize the installation of these updates to ensure the security of their network.

Patch Tuesday March 2023 CVE Codes & Titles