CVE-2023-38497

Local code execution via world-writable dependency sources

Published Aug 4, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Improper archive permissions in Cargo before 0.72.2 allow local users to execute code by altering cached dependency sources. RegistrySource::unpack_package extracts crate archives with stored file modes unchanged instead of masking group and other write bits. Exploitation requires a crate containing world-writable files, another local account able to reach the Cargo cache, and a later build that compiles the modified source.

CVSS severity7.9
High
EPSS probability0.70%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper archive permissions in Cargo before 0.72.2 allow local users to execute code by altering cached dependency sources. RegistrySource::unpack_package extracts crate archives with stored file modes unchanged instead of masking group and other write bits. Exploitation requires a crate containing world-writable files, another local account able to reach the Cargo cache, and a later build that compiles the modified source.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38497
Published
Aug 4, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Rust Project
Product
Cargo
Classifications
CWE-278, CWE-732, T1565.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 4, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 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=0 <0.72.2
  2. Affected versionversion=< 0.72.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Rust Project · Cargoversion=0 <0.72.2; version=< 0.72.2

Published CVSS scores

7.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.9Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.9GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/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.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-278Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions
CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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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