CVE-2023-38852

Buffer Overflow vulnerability in libxlsv.1.6.2 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code...

6.5 Medium

Buffer Overflow vulnerability in libxlsv.1.6.2 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code and cause a denial of service via a crafted XLS file to the unicode_decode_wcstombs function in xlstool.c:266.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

1.33%Up 1.2 points since Aug 16, 2023

What each source reports

NVD Score used 6.5

Record: CVE-2023-38852
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-787
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

Record: CVE-2023-38852
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2023-42625 No score

Record: EUVD-2023-42625
Updated: 2026-11-02

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-3xcx-j8jr-m5vv 6.5

Buffer Overflow vulnerability in libxlsv.1.6.2 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code...

Record: GHSA-3xcx-j8jr-m5vv
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-787
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2023-38852 6.5

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2023-38852
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVJLSEC-2026-1296 6.5

Buffer Overflow vulnerability in libxlsv.1.6.2 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code and cause a denial of service via a crafted XLS file to the unicode_decode_wcstombs function in xlstool.c:266.

Record: JLSEC-2026-1296
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2023-38852 6.5

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2023-38852
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV No score

Record: CVE-2023-38852
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

libxls project libxls

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`r-cran-readxl` Debian:12	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.2-11.4.3-11.4.4-11.4.5-11.5.0-11.5.0.1-11.6.0-1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Debian:13	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.5-11.5.0-11.5.0.1-11.6.0-1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Debian:14	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.5-11.5.0-11.5.0.1-11.6.0-1	None known
`libxls_jll` Julia	1.6.2+0 and later	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:16.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 0.1.0-1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:18.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.0-1build11.0.0-2	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:20.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.1-21.3.1-2build1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:22.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.1-2build2	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:24.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.3-1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:25.10	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.5-1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:26.10	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.5-11.5.0-1	None known
`r-cran-readxl` Ubuntu:26.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.4.5-1	None known

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-38852 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Libxls Project Libxls, published August 15, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.33%, the 71st percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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