CVE-2023-40185Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Command injection via worker-thread shell misidentification

Published Aug 23, 2023 · Updated Sep 30, 2024

Improper shell escaping in Shescape before 1.7.4 allows attackers to bypass command-injection protections in Windows worker threads. The resolveExecutable path lookup omits the thread's explicit PATH value, so lookup can fail silently and select the wrong shell-specific escaper. Exploitation requires threaded execution and mismatched configured and fallback shells, after which attacker-controlled command arguments can be interpreted as shell syntax.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability0.68%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper shell escaping in Shescape before 1.7.4 allows attackers to bypass command-injection protections in Windows worker threads. The resolveExecutable path lookup omits the thread's explicit PATH value, so lookup can fail silently and select the wrong shell-specific escaper. Exploitation requires threaded execution and mismatched configured and fallback shells, after which attacker-controlled command arguments can be interpreted as shell syntax.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40185
Published
Aug 23, 2023
Updated
Sep 30, 2024
Vendor
Eric Cornelissen
Product
Shescape
Classifications
CWE-150, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 23, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 30, 2024Record 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=< 1.7.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Eric Cornelissen · Shescapeversion=< 1.7.4

Published CVSS scores

8.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/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.

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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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-150Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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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