CVE-2023-4104Public exploit

Local VPN manipulation via unauthenticated D-Bus methods

Published Sep 11, 2023 · Updated Jul 3, 2025

Missing authorization in Mozilla VPN before 2.16.1 on Linux allows local users to configure arbitrary VPN setups through D-Bus. The Linux vpndaemon validates its own root process in Polkit instead of the D-Bus caller, while other control methods perform no authorization check. Any local account can therefore alter or stop the VPN connection or redirect traffic without gaining broader system privileges.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in Mozilla VPN before 2.16.1 on Linux allows local users to configure arbitrary VPN setups through D-Bus. The Linux vpndaemon validates its own root process in Polkit instead of the D-Bus caller, while other control methods perform no authorization check. Any local account can therefore alter or stop the VPN connection or redirect traffic without gaining broader system privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-4104
Published
Sep 11, 2023
Updated
Jul 3, 2025
Vendor
Mozilla
Product
Mozilla VPN
Classifications
CWE-862, T1562.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 11, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <(Linux)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Mozilla · Mozilla VPNversion=unspecified <(Linux)

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1562.004Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify System Firewall

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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