CVE-2023-21886Network attack vector

Unauthenticated remote takeover

Published Jan 17, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Code injection in Oracle VM VirtualBox before 6.1.42 and before 7.0.6 allows remote attackers to take over the hypervisor via multiple protocols. Oracle identifies the affected locus only as the Core component and has not published the vulnerable function, protocol messages, or unsafe operation. Exploitation requires unauthenticated network access and high attack complexity; success grants control of VirtualBox with read, write, and service-interruption consequences.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability1.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in Oracle VM VirtualBox before 6.1.42 and before 7.0.6 allows remote attackers to take over the hypervisor via multiple protocols. Oracle identifies the affected locus only as the Core component and has not published the vulnerable function, protocol messages, or unsafe operation. Exploitation requires unauthenticated network access and high attack complexity; success grants control of VirtualBox with read, write, and service-interruption consequences.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21886
Published
Jan 17, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Oracle Corporation
Product
Oracle VM VirtualBox
Classifications
CWE-94
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=* <6.1.42
  2. Affected versionversion=* <7.0.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Oracle Corporation · Oracle VM VirtualBoxversion=* <6.1.42; version=* <7.0.6

Published CVSS scores

8.1Oracle CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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