CVE-2023-4949

Memory corruption via crafted XFS partition

Published Nov 10, 2023 · Updated Sep 3, 2024

Memory corruption in GNU GRUB Legacy 0.97 and earlier allows local users to corrupt memory by presenting a crafted XFS partition. The XFS filesystem parser writes attacker-controlled filesystem data beyond a stack buffer, while published mappings identify unchecked integer arithmetic in the parsing path. Triggering the corruption requires local access to present a modified disk or external drive; the precise post-corruption outcome is undisclosed.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in GNU GRUB Legacy 0.97 and earlier allows local users to corrupt memory by presenting a crafted XFS partition. The XFS filesystem parser writes attacker-controlled filesystem data beyond a stack buffer, while published mappings identify unchecked integer arithmetic in the parsing path. Triggering the corruption requires local access to present a modified disk or external drive; the precise post-corruption outcome is undisclosed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-4949
Published
Nov 10, 2023
Updated
Sep 3, 2024
Vendor
Free Software Foundation
Product
GNU GRUB Legacy
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-119, CWE-190, CAPEC-100, CAPEC-92
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 10, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 3, 2024Record 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 <=0.97

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Free Software Foundation · GNU GRUB Legacyversion=0 <=0.97

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.1Google Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
CWE-190Integer Overflow or Wraparound
CAPEC-100Overflow Buffers
CAPEC-92Forced Integer Overflow

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

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Your stack

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