CVE-2023-29491: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-vh2x-5rx6-qqhv
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CVSS 7.8
CWE-787
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-29491 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2023-29491 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-29491
GHSA Identifier GHSA-vh2x-5rx6-qqhv
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2023-29491

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2023-29491, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, where the product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

ncurses before 6.4 20230408, when used by a setuid application, allows local users to trigger security-relevant memory corruption via malformed data in a terminfo database file that is found in $HOME/.terminfo or reached via the TERMINFO or TERM environment variable.

References

NVD — CVE-2023-29491 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-29491
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-202008.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce... WEB
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00004.html
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LU4MYMKFEZQ5VSCVLRIZGDQOUW3T44GT
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LU4MYMKFEZQ5VSCVLRIZGDQOUW3T44GT
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230517-0009
support.apple.com/kb/ht213843 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213843
support.apple.com/kb/ht213844 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213844
support.apple.com/kb/ht213845 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213845
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/12/5
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/13/4
ncurses.scripts.mit.edu/ WEB
http://ncurses.scripts.mit.edu/?p=ncurses.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=eb51b1ea1f75a0ec17c9c5937cb28df1e8eeec56
ncurses.scripts.mit.edu/ WEB
http://ncurses.scripts.mit.edu/?p=ncurses.git;a=commit;h=eb51b1ea1f75a0ec17c9c5937cb28df1e8eeec56
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/19/10
Software Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/19/11

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-29491?
CVE-2023-29491 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2023-29491?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-29491?
CVE-2023-29491 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-29491?
CVE-2023-29491 is classified under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write (The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2023-29491?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-vh2x-5rx6-qqhv",
  "modified" : "2026-10-15T00:30:38Z",
  "published" : "2023-04-14T03:30:29Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-29491" ],
  "details" : "ncurses before 6.4 20230408, when used by a setuid application, allows local users to trigger security-relevant memory corruption via malformed data in a terminfo database file that is found in $HOME/.terminfo or reached via the TERMINFO or TERM environment variable.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
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    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-202008.html"
  }, {
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    "url" : "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00004.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LU4MYMKFEZQ5VSCVLRIZGDQOUW3T44GT"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LU4MYMKFEZQ5VSCVLRIZGDQOUW3T44GT"
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230517-0009"
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/19/10"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/19/11"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-787" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-04-14T01:15:00Z"
  }
}