CVE-2023-40598Network attack vector

Privileged code execution via legacy runshellscript lookup

Published Aug 30, 2023 · Updated Feb 28, 2025

Command injection in Splunk Web in affected Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud versions allows remote authenticated users to execute code. An external command lookup can invoke the deprecated runshellscript internal command to write attacker-controlled code into the installation directory. A low-privileged authenticated account and a crafted lookup are required, after which the code runs in the privileged context of the Splunk platform instance.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.84%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in Splunk Web in affected Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud versions allows remote authenticated users to execute code. An external command lookup can invoke the deprecated runshellscript internal command to write attacker-controlled code into the installation directory. A low-privileged authenticated account and a crafted lookup are required, after which the code runs in the privileged context of the Splunk platform instance.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40598
Published
Aug 30, 2023
Updated
Feb 28, 2025
Vendor
Splunk, Inc.
Product
Splunk Enterprise
Classifications
CWE-306, CWE-77, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 30, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 28, 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=8.2 <8.2.12
  2. Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.0.6
  3. Affected versionversion=9.1 <9.1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Splunk, Inc. · Splunk Enterpriseversion=8.2 <8.2.12; version=9.0 <9.0.6; version=9.1 <9.1.1
Splunk, Inc. · Splunk Cloud Platformversion=- <9.0.2305.200

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.5Splunk Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function
CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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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