CVE-2023-7043

NetworkService code execution via unquoted service path

Published Jan 31, 2024 · Updated Oct 17, 2024

Unquoted service paths in affected ESET products for Windows allow local users to run prepared programs as NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService. The efwd.exe service path is stored in the registry without enclosing quotation marks, so Windows can select an attacker-placed executable from the path. Exploitation is limited to immediately after an upgrade from an earlier ESET release and does not occur during normal use or after a fresh installation.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted service paths in affected ESET products for Windows allow local users to run prepared programs as NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService. The efwd.exe service path is stored in the registry without enclosing quotation marks, so Windows can select an attacker-placed executable from the path. Exploitation is limited to immediately after an upgrade from an earlier ESET release and does not occur during normal use or after a fresh installation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-7043
Published
Jan 31, 2024
Updated
Oct 17, 2024
Vendor
ESET
Product
ESET Smart Security Premium
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 31, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 17, 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=16.1.14.0 <=16.2.15.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ESET · ESET Smart Security Premiumversion=16.1.14.0 <=16.2.15.0
ESET · ESET Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange Serverversion=10.1.10012.0
ESET · ESET Endpoint Securityversion=10.1.2046.x <=10.1.2063.x
ESET · ESET NOD32 Antivirusversion=16.1.14.0 <=16.2.15.0
ESET · ESET Internet Securityversion=16.1.14.0 <=16.2.15.0
ESET · ESET Endpoint Antivirusversion=10.1.2046.x <=10.1.2063.x

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
3.3ESETCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-428Unquoted Search Path or Element
T1574.009Path Interception by Unquoted Path

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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