CVE-2023-2789Public exploit

Process crash via mutually recursive parser calls

Published May 18, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Stack overflow in the GNU cflow 1.7 source parser allows local users to crash the process by analyzing a crafted C source file. The func_body and parse_variable_declaration routines repeatedly call each other without bounding recursion while parsing the malformed declaration sequence, exhausting the process stack. Exploitation requires the command-line utility to process attacker-controlled source input and interrupts only that invocation.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack overflow in the GNU cflow 1.7 source parser allows local users to crash the process by analyzing a crafted C source file. The func_body and parse_variable_declaration routines repeatedly call each other without bounding recursion while parsing the malformed declaration sequence, exhausting the process stack. Exploitation requires the command-line utility to process attacker-controlled source input and interrupts only that invocation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-2789
Published
May 18, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
The GnuPG Project
Product
GNU cflow
Classifications
CWE-404, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 18, 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=1.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The GnuPG Project · GNU cflowversion=1.7

Published CVSS scores

3.5VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
2.7NIST NVDAV:A/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-404Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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