CVE-2023-2868Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated command execution via crafted TAR filenames

Published May 24, 2023 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Command injection in Barracuda Email Security Gateway allows remote attackers to execute system commands through a crafted email attachment. The incoming-attachment screening module passes insufficiently validated TAR member names into Perl's qx operator, allowing embedded shell syntax to execute. Only appliance builds from 5.1.3.001 up to but excluding 9.2.0.006 are affected; no authentication is needed, and commands run with gateway privileges.

CVSS severity9.4
Critical
EPSS probability87.69%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in Barracuda Email Security Gateway allows remote attackers to execute system commands through a crafted email attachment. The incoming-attachment screening module passes insufficiently validated TAR member names into Perl's qx operator, allowing embedded shell syntax to execute. Only appliance builds from 5.1.3.001 up to but excluding 9.2.0.006 are affected; no authentication is needed, and commands run with gateway privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-2868
Published
May 24, 2023
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Barracuda Networks
Product
Barracuda Email Security Gateway
Classifications
CWE-77, CWE-20, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 1, 2022Exploitation reportedUNC4841 exploitation campaign
  2. May 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  3. May 26, 2023Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog entry
  4. Oct 21, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.1.3.001 <9.2.0.006

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Barracuda Networks · Barracuda Email Security Gatewayversion=5.1.3.001 <9.2.0.006

Published CVSS scores

9.4Google LLC CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

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

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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