Shadow-utils: possible password leak during passwd(1) change
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.
- BDU:2024-02776
- ALSA-2023:6632
- ALSA-2023:7112
- DLA-4130-1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:10081-1
- RHSA-2023:6632
- RHSA-2023:7112
- RHSA-2024:0417
- RHSA-2024:2577
- SUSE-RU-2026:1228-1
- SUSE-SU-2023:3591-1
- SUSE-SU-2023:4023-1
- SUSE-SU-2023:4024-1
- SUSE-SU-2023:4025-1
- SUSE-SU-2023:4027-1
- SUSE-SU-2024:1007-1
- SUSE-SU-2024:1007-2
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; 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 help- Published
- Dec 27, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.3% · 16th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-303
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Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.3%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 5.5
- CNA · redhat
- 4.7
- 0.8 point gap
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| shadow-maint | shadow-utils | cpe:2.3:a:shadow-maint:shadow-utils |
| redhat | codeready linux builder | cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder |
| redhat | codeready linux builder for arm64 | cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64 |
| redhat | codeready linux builder for ibm z systems | cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_ibm_z_systems |
| redhat | codeready linux builder for power little endian | cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_power_little_endian |
| redhat | enterprise linux | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux |
| redhat | enterprise linux for arm 64 | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_arm_64 |
| redhat | enterprise linux for ibm z systems | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems |
| redhat | enterprise linux for power little endian | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- redhat codeready linux builder8.0
- redhat codeready linux builder9.0
- redhat codeready linux builder for arm648.0_aarch64
- redhat codeready linux builder for arm649.0_aarch64
- redhat codeready linux builder for ibm z systems8.0_s390x
- redhat codeready linux builder for ibm z systems9.0_s390x
- redhat codeready linux builder for power little endian8.0_ppc64le
- redhat codeready linux builder for power little endian9.0_ppc64le
- redhat enterprise linux8.0
- redhat enterprise linux9.0
- redhat enterprise linux for arm 648.0
- redhat enterprise linux for arm 649.0
- redhat enterprise linux for ibm z systems8.0_s390x
- redhat enterprise linux for ibm z systems9.0_s390x
- redhat enterprise linux for power little endian8.0_ppc64le
- redhat enterprise linux for power little endian9.0_ppc64le
- shadow-maint shadow-utilsbefore 4.14.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
github.com/shadow-maint/shadow shadow-utils
- 4.14.0-rc1 and laternot affected · semver
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- all versionsunknown
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- all versionsunknown
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- 2:4.6-19.el8 and laternot affected · rpm
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support
- 2:4.6-17.el8_6 and laternot affected · rpm
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Support
- 2:4.6-17.el8_8.2 and laternot affected · rpm
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- 2:4.9-8.el9 and laternot affected · rpm
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux:8 | shadow-utils | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | shadow-utils-subid | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | shadow-utils-subid-devel | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| AlmaLinux:9 | shadow-utils | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| AlmaLinux:9 | shadow-utils-subid | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| AlmaLinux:9 | shadow-utils-subid-devel | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Debian:11 | shadow | before 1:4.8.1-1+deb11u1 | 1:4.8.1-1+deb11u1 |
| Debian:12 | shadow | before 1:4.13+dfsg1-1+deb12u1 | 1:4.13+dfsg1-1+deb12u1 |
| Debian:13 | shadow | before 1:4.13+dfsg1-2 | 1:4.13+dfsg1-2 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | shadow | before 4.19.2-2.1 | 4.19.2-2.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | shadow-utils | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | shadow-utils-debuginfo | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | shadow-utils-debugsource | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | shadow-utils-subid | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | shadow-utils-subid-debuginfo | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crb | shadow-utils-subid-devel | before 2:4.6-19.el8 | 2:4.6-19.el8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | shadow-utils | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | shadow-utils-debuginfo | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | shadow-utils-debugsource | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | shadow-utils-subid | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | shadow-utils-subid-debuginfo | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::crb | shadow-utils-subid-devel | before 2:4.9-8.el9 | 2:4.9-8.el9 |
| Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.6::baseos | shadow-utils | before 2:4.6-17.el8_6 | 2:4.6-17.el8_6 |
| Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.6::baseos | shadow-utils-debuginfo | before 2:4.6-17.el8_6 | 2:4.6-17.el8_6 |
+19
Same product
shadow-maint: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2024-56433shadow-utils (aka shadow) 4.4 through 4.17.0 establishes a default /etc/subuid behavior (e.g., uid 100000 through 165535 for the first user 14Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| almalinux:shadow-utils | 2:4.9-8.el9 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:shadow-utils-subid | 2:4.9-8.el9 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:shadow-utils-subid-devel | 2:4.9-8.el9 · AlmaLinux:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:shadow | 1:4.13+dfsg1-1+deb12u1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:shadow | 4.17.2-150600.17.18.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:shadow-utils | 2:4.9-8.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:shadow-utils-debuginfo | 2:4.9-8.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:shadow-utils-debugsource | 2:4.9-8.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:shadow-utils-subid | 2:4.9-8.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:shadow-utils-subid-debuginfo | 2:4.9-8.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:shadow-utils-subid-devel | 2:4.9-8.el9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::crb | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:shadow | 4.17.2-150600.17.18.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 | Package 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.
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
- Someone with local access to the system 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
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-303 · Incorrect Implementation of Authentication AlgorithmCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6632
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7112
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0417
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2577
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-4641
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2215945
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/04/msg00026.html
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.