CVE-2023-37573

Code execution via stale VCD token pointer

Published Jan 8, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Use-after-free in the GTKWave 3.3.115 GUI recoder VCD parser allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through a crafted VCD file. get_vartoken stores varsplit as a pointer into yytext, then reallocates yytext without rebasing varsplit; later writes through the stale pointer can corrupt heap metadata and control yylen. The default GUI parser requires no special switch, but execution requires a local user to open the malicious waveform file.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the GTKWave 3.3.115 GUI recoder VCD parser allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through a crafted VCD file. get_vartoken stores varsplit as a pointer into yytext, then reallocates yytext without rebasing varsplit; later writes through the stale pointer can corrupt heap metadata and control yylen. The default GUI parser requires no special switch, but execution requires a local user to open the malicious waveform file.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-37573
Published
Jan 8, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
GTKWave
Product
GTKWave
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 8, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=3.3.115

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

GTKWave · GTKWaveversion=3.3.115

Published CVSS scores

7.8Cisco TalosCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002Malicious File

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo