CVE-2023-45249
CVE-2023-45249 is a security flaw in Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI). Attackers can run commands on Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 29 Jul 2024.[1]
Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Fixed in version 5.0.1-61, 5.1.1-71, 5.2.1-69 and 5.3.1-53 and others.
Description
CISA calls it an insecure default password in Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI). In its words: “Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) allows an unauthenticated user to execute commands remotely due to the use of default passwords.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Remote command execution due to use of default passwords. The following products are affected: Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) before build 5.0.1-61, Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) before build 5.1.1-71, Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) before build 5.2.1-69, Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) before build 5.3.1-53, Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) before build 5.4.4-132.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-1393, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| Acronis Cyber Infrastructure | 5.0.1-61 |
| Acronis Cyber Infrastructure | 5.1.1-71 |
| Acronis Cyber Infrastructure | 5.2.1-69 |
| Acronis Cyber Infrastructure | 5.3.1-53 |
| Acronis Cyber Infrastructure | 5.4.4-132 |
| cyber_infrastructure | 5.0.1-61 |
| cyber_infrastructure | 5.1.1-71 |
| cyber_infrastructure | 5.2.1-69 |
Most families won’t have Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI); it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 29 Jul 2024, 5 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 19 Aug 2024 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 53%. That’s in the top 2% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Acronis has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed (fixed in version 5.0.1-61, 5.1.1-71, 5.2.1-69 and 5.3.1-53 and others), or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 19 Aug 2024 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 53%.[4] |
See also
Other Acronis flaws
- CVE-2026-87886, Acronis Backup: incorrect default permissions ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2024-5217, ServiceNow Utah, Vancouver, and Washington DC Now Platform: incomplete list of disallowed inputs ·
- CVE-2024-4879, ServiceNow Utah, Vancouver, and Washington DC Now Platform: improper input validation ·
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) Insecure Default Password Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 29 Jul 2024.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2023-45249 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 24 Jul 2024.
- ^ Acronis. Advisories and fixes: security-advisory.acronis.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.533, percentile 99.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2023-45249”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.