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Freebsd CVE-2023-3326

CRITICAL
Incorrect Implementation of Authentication Algorithm (CWE-303)
2023-06-22 secteam@freebsd.org
9.8
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Authentication algorithm review
Impact

CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the critical-severity affected system.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity.
No patch listed yet 1.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

pam_krb5 authenticates a user by essentially running kinit with the password, getting a ticket-granting ticket (tgt) from the Kerberos KDC (Key Distribution Center) over the network, as a way to. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

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Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-303. pam_krb5 authenticates a user by essentially running kinit with the password, getting a ticket-granting ticket (tgt) from the Kerberos KDC (Key Distribution Center) over the network, as a way to verify the password. However, if a keytab is not provisioned on the system, pam_krb5 has no way to validate the response from the KDC, and essentially trusts the tgt provided over the network as being valid. In a non-default FreeBSD installation that leverages pam_krb5 for authentication and does not have a keytab provisioned, an attacker that is able to control both the password and the KDC responses can return a valid tgt, allowing authentication to occur for any user on the system. Affected products include: Freebsd.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 9.8 CRITICAL
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

pam_krb5 authenticates a user by essentially running kinit with the password, getting a ticket-granting ticket (tgt) from the Kerberos KDC (Key Distribution Center) over the network, as a way to verify the password. However, if a keytab is not provisioned on the system, pam_krb5 has no way to validate the response from the KDC, and essentially trusts the tgt provided over the network as being valid. In a non-default FreeBSD installation that leverages pam_krb5 for authentication and does not have a keytab provisioned, an attacker that is able to control both the password and the KDC responses can return a valid tgt, allowing authentication to occur for any user on the system.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
1.1%
Top 38% exploitable
Data Quality
2 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity CRITICAL
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 1.1%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
CRITICAL severity
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
Yes
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

50
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +49
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:rc2-p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:rc2-p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:b1-p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:b2-p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:rc1-p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
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