CVE-2023-23598Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary file read via GTK MIME misclassification

Published Jun 2, 2023 · Updated Dec 18, 2025

Arbitrary file read in Mozilla Firefox before 109, Firefox ESR before 102.7, and Thunderbird before 102.7 allows remote attackers to read local files. The GTK wrapper labels drag data as text/plain, and GTK treats file URLs in that MIME type as file drags, exposing them through DataTransfer.setData. Exploitation requires a user to drag crafted content between application instances; the demonstrated consequence is disclosure of a local file on Linux.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.64%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Arbitrary file read in Mozilla Firefox before 109, Firefox ESR before 102.7, and Thunderbird before 102.7 allows remote attackers to read local files. The GTK wrapper labels drag data as text/plain, and GTK treats file URLs in that MIME type as file drags, exposing them through DataTransfer.setData. Exploitation requires a user to drag crafted content between application instances; the demonstrated consequence is disclosure of a local file on Linux.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23598
Published
Jun 2, 2023
Updated
Dec 18, 2025
Vendor
Mozilla
Product
Firefox
Classifications
T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 2, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 18, 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=unspecified <109

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Mozilla · Firefoxversion=unspecified <109
Mozilla · Thunderbirdversion=unspecified <102.7
Mozilla · Firefox ESRversion=unspecified <102.7

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/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

T1005Data from Local System

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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