CVE-2023-2868
Remote Code injection in Barracuda Email Security Gateway
Exploited in the wild. In CISA KEV since 2023‑05‑26. A vendor fix is available.
What to do
The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.
What it is
From the CVE record
A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only) product effecting versions 5.1.3.001-9.2.0.006. The vulnerability arises out of a failure to comprehensively sanitize the processing of .tar file (tape archives). The vulnerability stems from incomplete input validation of a user-supplied .tar file as it pertains to the names of the files contained within the archive. As a consequence, a remote attacker can specifically format these file names in a particular manner that will result in remotely executing a system command through Perl's qx operator with the privileges of the Email Security Gateway product. This issue was fixed as part of BNSF-36456 patch. This patch was automatically applied to all customer appliances.
In plain language
No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.
Exploitation
Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.
- CISA KEV
Listed as exploited in the wild since 2023-05-26.
US federal agencies must remediate by 2023-06-16.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Public exploits
No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.
- EPSS
88% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 99th percentile of scored CVEs.
Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.
Lifecycle
12 events over 1128 days, from the signal feeds we watch.
- OpenVAS check added
- EPSS band changecritical → high
- EPSS band changehigh → critical
- EPSS band changecritical → high
- EPSS band changehigh → critical
- Patch availableworkaround available, record updated
Affected products
- Barracuda Email Security GatewaySecurity Products / siem-soar
- email security gateway 300 firmwareSecurity Products / siem-soar
- email security gateway 400 firmwareSecurity Products / siem-soar
- email security gateway 600 firmwareSecurity Products / siem-soar
- email security gateway 800 firmwareSecurity Products / siem-soar
- email security gateway 900 firmwareSecurity Products / siem-soar
- Email Security Gateway 300Networking Infrastructure / firewall
- Email Security Gateway 400Networking Infrastructure / firewall
- Email Security Gateway 600Networking Infrastructure / firewall
- Email Security Gateway 800Networking Infrastructure / firewall
- Email Security Gateway 900Networking Infrastructure / firewall
Technical detail
CVSS 3.1 vector
Open in the CVSS calculatorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
Scored 9.4 by NVD.
How it is reached
- Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
- Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
- Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
- User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation
Scope
- Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself
Impact if exploited
- Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
- Integrity HighTotal loss of integrity — attacker can modify any data in the component
- Availability LowReduced performance or intermittent disruption of service
Weaknesses
ATT&CK techniques
Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.
Sources
Watch the software you run.
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We'll flag the next CVE, public exploit or patch for Barracuda, not every advisory. This one: actively exploited.
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