CVE-2023-28486

Terminal output manipulation via unescaped log data

Published Mar 16, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper output escaping in Sudo before 1.9.13 allows local users to manipulate terminal output through crafted command arguments. The eventlog formatter writes user-controlled command paths and arguments without escaping control characters, while sudoreplay -l renders the same unsafe log data. Viewing a crafted log entry is the gate; embedded terminal sequences can alter what an administrator sees and indirectly disclose terminal data.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.92%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper output escaping in Sudo before 1.9.13 allows local users to manipulate terminal output through crafted command arguments. The eventlog formatter writes user-controlled command paths and arguments without escaping control characters, while sudoreplay -l renders the same unsafe log data. Viewing a crafted log entry is the gate; embedded terminal sequences can alter what an administrator sees and indirectly disclose terminal data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-28486
Published
Mar 16, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-116
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.2Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
5.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-116Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output

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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