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Xen CVE-2023-46837

LOW
Buffer Overflow (CWE-119)
2024-01-05 security@xen.org
3.3
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2021 - Vulnerable and Outdated Components
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Bounds checking, buffer size validation
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 3.3 (LOW). Attack characteristics: local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction not required. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.08%.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A local attacker with access to the system could corrupt memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.

Monitor Track and reassess. Why: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9).
Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 28, 2026

Arm provides multiple helpers to clean & invalidate the cache for a given region. Rated low severity (CVSS 3.3), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Buffer Overflow vulnerability could allow attackers to corrupt memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
v1 Mar 28, 2026 - 19:33 CVSS 3.3

Arm provides multiple helpers to clean & invalidate the cache for a given region. This is, for instance, used when allocating guest memory to ensure any writes (such as the ones during scrubbing) hav

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Use memory-safe languages or bounds-checking. Enable ASLR, DEP/NX, stack canaries. Use safe string functions.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Buffer Overflow (CWE-119), which allows attackers to corrupt memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application. Arm provides multiple helpers to clean & invalidate the cache for a given region. This is, for instance, used when allocating guest memory to ensure any writes (such as the ones during scrubbing) have reached memory before handing over the page to a guest. Unfortunately, the arithmetics in the helpers can overflow and would then result to skip the cache cleaning/invalidation. Therefore there is no guarantee when all the writes will reach the memory. This undefined behavior was meant to be addressed by XSA-437, but the approach was not sufficient. Affected products include: Xen.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 3.3 LOW
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

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

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch released
Mar 28, 2026 - 19:33 nvd
Patch available
CVE Published
Jan 05, 2024 - 17:15 nvd
LOW 3.3

DescriptionCVE.org

Arm provides multiple helpers to clean & invalidate the cache for a given region. This is, for instance, used when allocating guest memory to ensure any writes (such as the ones during scrubbing) have reached memory before handing over the page to a guest.

Unfortunately, the arithmetics in the helpers can overflow and would then result to skip the cache cleaning/invalidation. Therefore there is no guarantee when all the writes will reach the memory.

This undefined behavior was meant to be addressed by XSA-437, but the approach was not sufficient.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

CVE-2023-46837 is a low-severity vulnerability (CVSS 3.3). The limited severity suggests constrained impact, typically requiring specific conditions or local access for exploitation. A patch is available and can be applied during standard maintenance windows.

Business Impact: Low
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch during routine maintenance. Standard security controls provide adequate interim protection.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 76% exploitable
Data Quality
3 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 LOW
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9)
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
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Low

Priority Score

16
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +16
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:o:xen:xen:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*

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