CVE-2023-43631

Root takeover via unmeasured SSH authorized keys

Published Sep 21, 2023 · Updated Sep 24, 2024

Improperly protected SSH credentials in EVE OS allow local users to gain root control through an unmeasured configuration partition. On boot, the Pillar container trusts any supported public key in /config/authorized_keys, starts sshd on port 22, and authorizes that key for root login even though /config is mutable, unencrypted, and omitted from the measured-boot calculation. Exploitation requires access sufficient to alter the configuration partition; the injected key preserves expected PCR values and grants root access to the device and vault.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improperly protected SSH credentials in EVE OS allow local users to gain root control through an unmeasured configuration partition. On boot, the Pillar container trusts any supported public key in /config/authorized_keys, starts sshd on port 22, and authorizes that key for root login even though /config is mutable, unencrypted, and omitted from the measured-boot calculation. Exploitation requires access sufficient to alter the configuration partition; the injected key preserves expected PCR values and grants root access to the device and vault.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-43631
Published
Sep 21, 2023
Updated
Sep 24, 2024
Vendor
Linux Foundation
Product
EVE (Edge Virtualization Engine)
Classifications
CWE-922, CWE-522, CAPEC-115, T1098.004
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 24, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <8.6.0
  2. Affected versionversion=9.0.0 <9.5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Linux Foundation · EVE (Edge Virtualization Engine)version=0 <8.6.0; version=9.0.0 <9.5.0
LF Edge · EVE-OSversion=0 <8.6.0; version=9.0.0 <9.5.0

Published CVSS scores

8.8Automotive Security Research GroupCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.9GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/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.

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)
Vectorphysical
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-922Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information
CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
CAPEC-115Authentication Bypass
T1098.004SSH Authorized Keys

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo