CVE-2023-38473Public exploit

Daemon crash via invalid alternative hostname generation

Published Nov 2, 2023 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Reachable assertion in Avahi allows local users to crash avahi-daemon through a crafted D-Bus GetAlternativeHostName request. For a valid single-label hostname ending in an unescaped dot, avahi_alternative_host_name generates an invalid alternative such as foo.-2 and asserts while validating it. Access to the daemon's local D-Bus interface is sufficient, and successful exploitation terminates the service with SIGABRT.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Reachable assertion in Avahi allows local users to crash avahi-daemon through a crafted D-Bus GetAlternativeHostName request. For a valid single-label hostname ending in an unescaped dot, avahi_alternative_host_name generates an invalid alternative such as foo.-2 and asserts while validating it. Access to the daemon's local D-Bus interface is sufficient, and successful exploitation terminates the service with SIGABRT.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38473
Published
Nov 2, 2023
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Red Hat
Product
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Classifications
CWE-617, T1489
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 2, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 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 versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Red Hat · Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8Affected versions are unavailable in this record.
Avahi · AvahiAffected versions are unavailable in this record.
Fedora Project · Fedora LinuxAffected versions are unavailable in this record.
Red Hat · Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9Affected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.2Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-617Reachable Assertion
T1489Service Stop

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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