# CVE-2023-26463: Use after free in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute code on strongSwan servers by exploiting a use-after-free vulnerability during EAP-TLS authentication if specific plugins are enabled.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2023-26463, AZL-26300, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-26463, GHSA-vcx9-7pcc-q8c7, openSUSE-SU-2024:12749-1

## What is CVE-2023-26463?

CVE-2023-26463 is a critical use after free vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Apr 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

strongSwan 5.9.8 and 5.9.9 potentially allows remote code execution because it uses a variable named "public" for two different purposes within the same function. There is initially incorrect access control, later followed by an expired pointer dereference. One attack vector is sending an untrusted client certificate during EAP-TLS. A server is affected only if it loads plugins that implement TLS-based EAP methods (EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, EAP-PEAP, or EAP-TNC). This is fixed in 5.9.10.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference), CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-26463?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `strongswan` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 5.9.10-1.1 |

Products: Strongswan Strongswan.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-26463?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-26463 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-26463 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-41913](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41913/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2015-3991](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3991/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-4967](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4967/): Auth bypass in strongSwan (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2026-78130](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-78130/): Null dereference in strongSwan (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2026-78132](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-78132/): Denial of service in strongSwan (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-26463 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-26463 is a critical use after free vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Apr 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-26463 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2023-26463/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26463/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-26463
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-26463
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-26463

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26463/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.