CVE-2023-2868

A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only) product effecting versions…

Browse: All 2023 CVEs · All vendors

CVSS score
9.4 Critical
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
CISA KEV
Yes — actively exploited (added 2023-05-26, remediation due 2023-06-16)
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-20, CWE-77
Published
2023-05-24
Last modified
2026-06-17
NVD status
Analyzed

Description

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.

Affected products

Affected ranges per NVD CPE data; confirm exact versions in the vendor advisory.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions. Federal remediation deadline: 2023-06-16.

How to prioritize this

This vulnerability is on the CISA KEV list, meaning it is being actively exploited — treat it as urgent regardless of the raw CVSS number. Use the live CVE lookup for the latest NVD data, and the CVSS 3.1 calculator to model your own environmental score. For the actively exploited vulnerabilities that matter this week, read The Exploit HQ daily security brief.

References

FAQ

Is CVE-2023-2868 actively exploited?

Yes. CISA added CVE-2023-2868 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2023-05-26, with a federal remediation deadline of 2023-06-16. A KEV listing means real-world exploitation is confirmed, so patching this should be prioritized above many higher-CVSS bugs that aren't being exploited.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-2868?

CVE-2023-2868 has a CVSS base score of 9.4 (Critical). Its vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L.

Related vulnerabilities

Data source: NVD & CISA KEV. Shown as-is; nothing added. Last generated from NVD data — re-check the live tool for updates.