CVE-2023-46047Public exploit

Local crash via unchecked null configuration token

Published Mar 27, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Null pointer dereference in SANE Project sane-backends 1.2.1 allows local users to crash scanimage via a crafted configuration file. The sanei_configure_attach() parser passes a null token returned by sanei_config_get_string() to strncmp() when an invalid line yields no token. Exploitation requires scanimage to load an attacker-controlled backend configuration file, a condition disputed as outside the expected trust model; the demonstrated consequence is a process crash, not arbitrary code execution.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.37%
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 SANE Project sane-backends 1.2.1 allows local users to crash scanimage via a crafted configuration file. The sanei_configure_attach() parser passes a null token returned by sanei_config_get_string() to strncmp() when an invalid line yields no token. Exploitation requires scanimage to load an attacker-controlled backend configuration file, a condition disputed as outside the expected trust model; the demonstrated consequence is a process crash, not arbitrary code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-46047
Published
Mar 27, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
SANE Project
Product
sane-backends
Classifications
CWE-20, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=1.2.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

SANE Project · sane-backendsversion=1.2.1

Published CVSS scores

7.3CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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