CVE-2023-2602

Local service interruption via thread-creation memory leak

Published Jun 6, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Memory leak in libpsx in libcap before 2.69 allows local users to exhaust process memory by forcing pthread_create failures. The __wrap_pthread_create() wrapper treats only -1 as failure even though pthread_create() returns a positive error code, leaving its allocated starter buffer unfreed when the thread routine never starts. Exploitation requires a local user able to make thread creation fail repeatedly in a process linked with libpsx, progressively consuming that process's memory until service interruption.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in libpsx in libcap before 2.69 allows local users to exhaust process memory by forcing pthread_create failures. The __wrap_pthread_create() wrapper treats only -1 as failure even though pthread_create() returns a positive error code, leaving its allocated starter buffer unfreed when the thread routine never starts. Exploitation requires a local user able to make thread creation fail repeatedly in a process linked with libpsx, progressively consuming that process's memory until service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-2602
Published
Jun 6, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Andrew G. Morgan
Product
libcap
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 6, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=NA

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Andrew G. Morgan · libcapversion=NA

Published CVSS scores

3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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