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CVE-2023-4641

Shadow-utils: possible password leak during passwd(1) change

Published: Dec 27, 2023Updated: Nov 3, 2025 Sources: CVE List NVD BDUCWE-303
NVD MITRE
4.7CVSSMEDIUM
EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 83.2%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
No Known Exploits
Remediation
Patch Available

Description

A flaw was found in shadow-utils. When asking for a new password, shadow-utils asks the password twice. If the password fails on the second attempt, shadow-utils fails in cleaning the buffer used to store the first entry. This may allow an attacker with enough access to retrieve the password from the memory.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:LAC:HPR:LUI:NS:UC:HI:NA:N
Exploitability
AV:LAttack Vector
Local
AC:HAttack Complexity
High
PR:LPrivileges Required
Low
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:HConfidentiality
High
I:NIntegrity
None
A:NAvailability
None
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Weaknesses

CWE-303CWE-287

Affected Products

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8Red Hat
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update SupportRed Hat
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update SupportRed Hat
On-prem
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9Red Hat
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
red hatcommercialUSOperating Systemsaka red hat
and 17 more affected products View all →

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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Exploitability

Official Patch Available

MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques
Initial Access
View detailed technique mapping

References

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6632
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7112
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0417
access.redhat.com
and 11 more references View all →

Timeline

Published
Dec 27, 2023
Last Updated
Nov 3, 2025

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