# CVE-2023-23589: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Tor's SafeSocks option incorrectly allows unsafe SOCKS4 connections, bypassing intended security restrictions when enabled.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Jan 2023
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-23589, DLA-3286-1, DSA-5320-1, GHSA-6wqq-m34g-chqp, MGASA-2023-0017, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-23589

## What is CVE-2023-23589?

CVE-2023-23589 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Jan 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The SafeSocks option in Tor before 0.4.7.13 has a logic error in which the unsafe SOCKS4 protocol can be used but not the safe SOCKS4a protocol, aka TROVE-2022-002.

Weakness: CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-23589?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Torproject Tor.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-23589?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-23589 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-23589 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-23589 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-23589 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Jan 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-23589 exists.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23589/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23589/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-23589
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-23589
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-23589

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23589/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.