CVE-2023-27253Network attack vector

Authenticated command execution via unescaped RRD filename

Published Mar 17, 2023 · Updated Feb 26, 2025

Command injection in Netgate pfSense 2.7.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands through a crafted config.xml file. The restore_rrddata() function places an XML-supplied RRD filename inside a shell command without basename filtering or shell-argument escaping, allowing embedded quotes and metacharacters to alter the rrdtool invocation. Exploitation requires permission to restore a configuration backup; Netgate states that this permission already grants full control of the firewall and disputes that the defect presents a security concern.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability89.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in Netgate pfSense 2.7.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands through a crafted config.xml file. The restore_rrddata() function places an XML-supplied RRD filename inside a shell command without basename filtering or shell-argument escaping, allowing embedded quotes and metacharacters to alter the rrdtool invocation. Exploitation requires permission to restore a configuration backup; Netgate states that this permission already grants full control of the firewall and disputes that the defect presents a security concern.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-27253
Published
Mar 17, 2023
Updated
Feb 26, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-91, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 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 privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-91XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection)
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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