CVE-2023-2868
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-2868- CVSS 3.1
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-34316
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.
- Record
EUVD-2023-34316- CVSS 3.1
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-898g-hmh5-hrcr
A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the 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.
- Record
GHSA-898g-hmh5-hrcr- CVSS 3.1
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-77
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CISA KEV No score
Barracuda Networks ESG Appliance Improper Input Validation Vulnerability
Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG) appliance contains an improper input validation vulnerability of a user-supplied .tar file, leading to remote command injection.
- Record
CVE-2023-2868- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-2868- CVSS 3.1
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-77
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
- barracuda email security gateway
- barracuda email security gateway 300 firmware
- barracuda email security gateway 400 firmware
- barracuda email security gateway 600 firmware
- barracuda email security gateway 800 firmware
- barracuda email security gateway 900 firmware
- barracuda networks email security gateway (esg) appliance
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | Barracuda ESG TAR Filename Command Injection | 2023-05-23 |
| PoC in GitHub | cfielding-r7/poc-cve-2023-2868 | 2023-06-20 |
| PoC in GitHub | cashapp323232/CVE-2023-2868CVE-2023-2868 | 2023-07-30 |
| PoC in GitHub | krmxd/CVE-2023-2868 | 2023-08-25 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| exploitation, exploits | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, CISA KEV, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-2868 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.4) in Barracuda Email Security Gateway, published May 24, 2023. CISA lists it as known to be exploited, since May 26, 2023. EUVD reports exploitation since May 26, 2023. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 86.8%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.