Remote Code injection in Barracuda Email Security Gateway
A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only) product effecting versions 5.1.3.001-9.2.0.006. The vulnerability arises out of a failure to comprehensively sanitize the processing of .tar file (tape archives). The vulnerability stems from incomplete input validation of a user-supplied .tar file as it pertains to the names of the files contained within the archive. As a consequence, a remote attacker can specifically format these file names in a particular manner that will result in remotely executing a system command through Perl's qx operator with the privileges of the Email Security Gateway product. This issue was fixed as part of BNSF-36456 patch. This patch was automatically applied to all customer appliances.
- Published
- May 24, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 87.7% · 100th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-20
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Action score
95
Now
Patch today or shut off access.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 26 / 30 · 87.7%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 9.8
- CNA · Google
- 9.4
- 0.4 point gap
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 26, 2023. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for government agencies: Jun 16, 2023.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| barracuda | email security gateway 300 firmware | cpe:2.3:o:barracuda:email_security_gateway_300_firmware |
| barracuda | email security gateway 300 | cpe:2.3:h:barracuda:email_security_gateway_300 |
| barracuda | email security gateway 400 firmware | cpe:2.3:o:barracuda:email_security_gateway_400_firmware |
| barracuda | email security gateway 400 | cpe:2.3:h:barracuda:email_security_gateway_400 |
| barracuda | email security gateway 600 firmware | cpe:2.3:o:barracuda:email_security_gateway_600_firmware |
| barracuda | email security gateway 600 | cpe:2.3:h:barracuda:email_security_gateway_600 |
| barracuda | email security gateway 800 firmware | cpe:2.3:o:barracuda:email_security_gateway_800_firmware |
| barracuda | email security gateway 800 | cpe:2.3:h:barracuda:email_security_gateway_800 |
| barracuda | email security gateway 900 firmware | cpe:2.3:o:barracuda:email_security_gateway_900_firmware |
| barracuda | email security gateway 900 | cpe:2.3:h:barracuda:email_security_gateway_900 |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- barracuda email security gateway 300 firmware5.1.3.001 and later · up to 9.2.0.006 inclusive
- barracuda email security gateway 400 firmware5.1.3.001 and later · up to 9.2.0.006 inclusive
- barracuda email security gateway 600 firmware5.1.3.001 and later · up to 9.2.0.006 inclusive
- barracuda email security gateway 800 firmware5.1.3.001 and later · up to 9.2.0.006 inclusive
- barracuda email security gateway 900 firmware5.1.3.001 and later · up to 9.2.0.006 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Google). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Barracuda Barracuda Email Security Gateway
- 5.1.3.001 and later · before 9.2.0.006affected
Same product
barracuda: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2023-7102Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability52Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×3
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit module | exploit/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_tarfile_rceBarracuda ESG TAR Filename Command Injectionexploit | 2023-05-23 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:11 | 2023-06-20 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2023-07-30 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2023-08-25 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Metasploit-2 d
- Published
- CISA KEV+1 d
- First PoC+26 d
- TodaySep 29, 2026+1224 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-20 · Improper Input ValidationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Server Side Include (SSI) InjectionCAPEC-101likelihood: High · High
- Cross Zone ScriptingCAPEC-104likelihood: Medium · High
- Command Line Execution through SQL InjectionCAPEC-108likelihood: Low · Very High
- Object Relational Mapping InjectionCAPEC-109likelihood: Low · High
- SQL Injection through SOAP Parameter TamperingCAPEC-110likelihood: High · Very High
- Double EncodingCAPEC-120likelihood: Low · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or InformationT1027
- Masquerading: Invalid Code SignatureT1036.001
- Steal Web Session CookieT1539
- Subvert Trust Controls: Code SigningT1553.002
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- status.barracuda.com/incidents/34kx82j5n4q9
- www.barracuda.com/company/legal/esg-vulnerability
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-2868
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.