CVE-2023-45925

Session crash via premature X11 display close

Published Mar 27, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Null pointer dereference in GNU Midnight Commander 4.8.29-146-g299d9a2fb allows local users to crash an X11-enabled session. The x_error_handler() callback calls XCloseDisplay() while XOpenDisplay() is still initializing, causing XFreeGC() to dereference an uncreated graphics context. Reachability requires an X11 error during display initialization; upstream and Amazon classify the resulting nonfatal silent crash as a usability issue rather than a security flaw.

CVSS severity4.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in GNU Midnight Commander 4.8.29-146-g299d9a2fb allows local users to crash an X11-enabled session. The x_error_handler() callback calls XCloseDisplay() while XOpenDisplay() is still initializing, causing XFreeGC() to dereference an uncreated graphics context. Reachability requires an X11 error during display initialization; upstream and Amazon classify the resulting nonfatal silent crash as a usability issue rather than a security flaw.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-45925
Published
Mar 27, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Midnight Commander
Product
GNU Midnight Commander
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=4.8.29-146-g299d9a2fb

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Midnight Commander · GNU Midnight Commanderversion=4.8.29-146-g299d9a2fb

Published CVSS scores

4.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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