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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2023-36054: lib/kadm5/kadm_rpc_xdr.c in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) before 1.20.2 and 1.21.x before 1.21.1 frees an uninitialized pointer.

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 27/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 2.8% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 86.5% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: krb5-devel (AlmaLinux:9) 1.21.1-1.el9; krb5-libs (AlmaLinux:9) 1.21.1-1.el9; krb5-pkinit (AlmaLinux:9) 1.21.1-1.el9.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to krb5-devel (AlmaLinux:9) 1.21.1-1.el9; krb5-libs (AlmaLinux:9) 1.21.1-1.el9; krb5-pkinit (AlmaLinux:9) 1.21.1-1.el9 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

lib/kadm5/kadm_rpc_xdr.c in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) before 1.20.2 and 1.21.x before 1.21.1 frees an uninitialized pointer. A remote authenticated user can trigger a kadmind crash. This occurs because _xdr_kadm5_principal_ent_rec does not validate the relationship between n_key_data and the key_data array count.

MediumCVSS 6.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Aug 7, 2023
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
2.8% · 86th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

27

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
26 / 40 · 6.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 2.8%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2023-36054

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
mitkerberos 5
debiandebian linux
netappactive iq unified manager
netappclustered data ontap
netapphci
netappmanagement services for element software
netappontap tools

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • mit kerberos 5before 1.20.2
  • mit kerberos 51.21
  • netapp active iq unified managerall versions
  • netapp clustered data ontap9.0
  • netapp hciall versions
  • netapp management services for element softwareall versions
  • netapp ontap toolsall versions

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:9krb5-develbefore 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
AlmaLinux:9krb5-libsbefore 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
AlmaLinux:9krb5-pkinitbefore 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
AlmaLinux:9krb5-serverbefore 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
AlmaLinux:9krb5-server-ldapbefore 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
AlmaLinux:9krb5-workstationbefore 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
AlmaLinux:9libkadm5before 1.21.1-1.el91.21.1-1.el9
Alpine:v3.17krb5before 1.20.2-r01.20.2-r0
Debian:10krb5before 1.17-3+deb10u61.17-3+deb10u6
Debian:12krb5before 1.20.1-2+deb12u11.20.1-2+deb12u1
Debian:13krb5before 1.20.1-31.20.1-3
openSUSE:Leap 15.5krb5before 1.20.1-150500.3.3.11.20.1-150500.3.3.1
openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.3krb5before 1.19.2-150400.3.6.11.19.2-150400.3.6.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedkrb5before 1.21.1-1.11.21.1-1.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-debugsourcebefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-develbefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-libs-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-pkinit-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-server-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-server-ldap-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkrb5-workstation-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamlibkadm5-debuginfobefore 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseoskrb5before 0:1.21.1-1.el90:1.21.1-1.el9

+12

Same product

mit: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2007-0956The telnet daemon (telnetd) in MIT krb5 before 1.6.1 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain system access via a username
    49Plan
  • CVE-2011-0285The process_chpw_request function in schpw.c in the password-changing functionality in kadmind in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) 1.7 through 1.9
    46Plan
  • CVE-2001-0247Buffer overflows in BSD-based FTP servers allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long pattern string containing a {} se
    46Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-37750Aug 23, 2021 · The Key Distribution Center (KDC) in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) before 1.18.5 and 1.19.x before 1.19.3 has a NULL pointer dereference in kdc/
    27Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-42898Dec 25, 2022 · PAC parsing in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) before 1.19.4 and 1.20.x before 1.20.1 has integer overflows that may lead to remote code execution
    37Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-39975Aug 16, 2023 · kdc/do_tgs_req.c in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) 1.21 before 1.21.2 has a double free that is reachable if an authenticated user can trigger an
    35Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
almalinux:krb5-devel1.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:krb5-libs1.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:krb5-pkinit1.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:krb5-server1.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:krb5-server-ldap1.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:krb5-workstation1.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:libkadm51.21.1-1.el9 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
alpine:krb51.20.2-r0 · Alpine:v3.17Package registry (OSV)
debian:krb51.20.1-2+deb12u1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:krb51.20.1-150500.3.3.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
red hat:krb50:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseosPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-debugsource0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-devel0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-libs0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseosPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-libs-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-pkinit0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseosPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-pkinit-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-server-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-server-ldap-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:krb5-workstation-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:libkadm5-debuginfo0:1.21.1-1.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
rocky linux:krb50:1.21.1-10.el9_8 · Rocky Linux:9Package registry (OSV)
suse:krb51.20.1-150500.3.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

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.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, 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.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-824 · Access of Uninitialized Pointer

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (5 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records