# CVE-2023-24805: Command injection in cups-filters

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary system commands on print servers using the Backend Error Handler feature in cups-filters.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 May 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** ALSA-2023:3423, ALSA-2023:3425, CLEANSTART-2024-CB04039, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-24805, DLA-3430-1, DSA-5407-1, GHSA-gpxc-v2m8-fr3x, MGASA-2023-0189, OESA-2023-1315, RHSA-2023:3423, RHSA-2023:3424, RHSA-2023:3425, RHSA-2023:3426, RHSA-2023:3427, RHSA-2023:3428, RHSA-2023:3429, RLSA-2023:3423, RLSA-2023:3425, SUSE-SU-2023:2233-1, SUSE-SU-2023:2233-2, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-24805, USN-6083-1, USN-6083-2, openSUSE-SU-2024:12939-1

## What is CVE-2023-24805?

CVE-2023-24805 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 17 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working on operating systems other than macos. If you use the Backend Error Handler (beh) to create an accessible network printer, this security vulnerability can cause remote code execution. `beh.c` contains the line `retval = system(cmdline) >> 8;` which calls the `system` command with the operand `cmdline`. `cmdline` contains multiple user controlled, unsanitized values. As a result an attacker with network access to the hosted print server can exploit this vulnerability to inject system commands which are executed in the context of the running server. This issue has been addressed in commit `8f2740357` and is expected to be bundled in the next release. Users are advised to upgrade when possible and to restrict access to network printers in the meantime.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-24805?

It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cups-filters` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-devel` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-devel` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crb | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crb | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crb | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crb | All versions | 0:1.20.0-29.el8_8.2 |
| `cups-filters` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::crb | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::crb | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::crb | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::crb | All versions | 0:1.28.7-11.el9_2.1 |
| `cups-filters` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.1::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-18.el8_1.1 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.1::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-18.el8_1.1 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.1::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-18.el8_1.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.1::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-18.el8_1.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.1::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-18.el8_1.1 |
| `cups-filters` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.2::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-19.el8_2.1 |
| `cups-filters` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.4::appstream | All versions | 0:1.20.0-24.el8_4.1 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Linuxfoundation Cups-Filters.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-24805?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-24805 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-24805 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
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## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-24805 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-24805 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 17 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-24805 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2023-24805/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-24805/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-24805
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-24805
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-24805

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-24805/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.