CVE-2023-45239Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Remote code execution via authorization field injection

Published Oct 6, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Command injection in Shrubbery Networks tac_plus before 4fdf178 allows remote attackers to execute shell commands via TACACS+ fields. Pre- and post-authorization directives pass unvalidated username, rem-addr, or NAC-address values into configured commands executed by exec(). Exposure requires those directives to be enabled and an attacker able to control an affected authorization field, resulting in code execution with the daemon's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.81%
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 Shrubbery Networks tac_plus before 4fdf178 allows remote attackers to execute shell commands via TACACS+ fields. Pre- and post-authorization directives pass unvalidated username, rem-addr, or NAC-address values into configured commands executed by exec(). Exposure requires those directives to be enabled and an attacker able to control an affected authorization field, resulting in code execution with the daemon's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-45239
Published
Oct 6, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Shrubbery Networks
Product
tac_plus
Classifications
CWE-790, T1059.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 6, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 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=0 <4fdf178

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Shrubbery Networks · tac_plusversion=0 <4fdf178

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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.

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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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-790Improper Filtering of Special Elements
T1059.004Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell

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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