CVE-2023-42364Public exploit

Process crash via freed awk temporary

Published Nov 27, 2023 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Use-after-free in the BusyBox 1.36.1 awk applet allows local users to crash the process with a crafted pattern during execution. In evaluate, an OC_REPLACE result can reference the temporary variable L.v after that temporary becomes invalid, causing the result to access freed memory. Execution of the crafted pattern is required, and the documented consequence is an awk process crash rather than a system-wide interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the BusyBox 1.36.1 awk applet allows local users to crash the process with a crafted pattern during execution. In evaluate, an OC_REPLACE result can reference the temporary variable L.v after that temporary becomes invalid, causing the result to access freed memory. Execution of the crafted pattern is required, and the documented consequence is an awk process crash rather than a system-wide interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42364
Published
Nov 27, 2023
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

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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