CVE-2023-23589Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Destination hostname disclosure via inverted SafeSocks logic

Published Jan 14, 2023 · Updated Apr 7, 2025

Protection mechanism failure in Tor before 0.4.7.13 allows attackers to expose destination hostnames through unsafe SOCKS4 traffic. The SafeSocks protocol check reverses its SOCKS4 and SOCKS4a decisions, accepting client-resolved SOCKS4 requests while rejecting proxy-resolved SOCKS4a requests. Exposure requires SafeSocks to be enabled and a client application to use SOCKS4; the resulting local DNS lookup can reveal the requested hostname outside Tor.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.83%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Protection mechanism failure in Tor before 0.4.7.13 allows attackers to expose destination hostnames through unsafe SOCKS4 traffic. The SafeSocks protocol check reverses its SOCKS4 and SOCKS4a decisions, accepting client-resolved SOCKS4 requests while rejecting proxy-resolved SOCKS4a requests. Exposure requires SafeSocks to be enabled and a client application to use SOCKS4; the resulting local DNS lookup can reveal the requested hostname outside Tor.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23589
Published
Jan 14, 2023
Updated
Apr 7, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-693
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 7, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
6.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-693Protection Mechanism Failure

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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