CVE-2023-24039Public exploit

Root privilege escalation via unchecked XPM concatenation

Published Jan 21, 2023 · Updated Apr 2, 2025

Stack-based buffer overflow in libXm ParseColors in Common Desktop Environment 1.6 allows local users to gain root privileges. Motif 2.1's ParseColors appends attacker-controlled, overlong XPM color strings to a fixed-size stack buffer with unchecked strcat calls, corrupting the stack. Exploitation requires a low-privileged local account on Solaris 10 and the setuid-root dtprintinfo path; the demonstrated Intel chain executes code as root.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.45%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflow in libXm ParseColors in Common Desktop Environment 1.6 allows local users to gain root privileges. Motif 2.1's ParseColors appends attacker-controlled, overlong XPM color strings to a fixed-size stack buffer with unchecked strcat calls, corrupting the stack. Exploitation requires a low-privileged local account on Solaris 10 and the setuid-root dtprintinfo path; the demonstrated Intel chain executes code as root.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-24039
Published
Jan 21, 2023
Updated
Apr 2, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 2, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo