CVE-2023-42222Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Code execution via unrestricted external protocol links

Published Sep 28, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Incorrect access control in WebCatalog before 49.0 allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted external-protocol link. The link handler passes URLs from synced page content to Electron shell.openExternal without restricting the scheme to HTTP or HTTPS. A user must click the visible link; the invoked protocol handler can create an external SMB connection and present malicious files on the host.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability1.41%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect access control in WebCatalog before 49.0 allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted external-protocol link. The link handler passes URLs from synced page content to Electron shell.openExternal without restricting the scheme to HTTP or HTTPS. A user must click the visible link; the invoked protocol handler can create an external SMB connection and present malicious files on the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42222
Published
Sep 28, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1204.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 28, 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

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1204.001User Execution: Malicious Link

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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