CVE-2023-38997Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Root command execution via unchecked ZIP paths

Published Aug 9, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Path traversal in OPNsense Captive Portal templates allows remote authenticated users to execute system commands as root. overlay_template.py concatenates each ZIP entry name with the portal template directory and writes the result without resolving and rejecting paths that escape that directory. Captive Portal administrative access is required; affected releases are Community Edition before 23.7 and Business Edition before 23.4.2, and a traversing entry can place a PHP web shell in the root-run web service.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability1.37%
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

Path traversal in OPNsense Captive Portal templates allows remote authenticated users to execute system commands as root. overlay_template.py concatenates each ZIP entry name with the portal template directory and writes the result without resolving and rejecting paths that escape that directory. Captive Portal administrative access is required; affected releases are Community Edition before 23.7 and Business Edition before 23.4.2, and a traversing entry can place a PHP web shell in the root-run web service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38997
Published
Aug 9, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-22, T1505.003
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 9, 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

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

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1505.003Web Shell

Public exploit references

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