# CVE-2023-28523: IBM Informix Dynamic Server buffer overflow

> A heap buffer overflow in IBM Informix Dynamic Server allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via improper bounds checking.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 27 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hg8q-63q2-p669

## What is CVE-2023-28523?

CVE-2023-28523 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Ibm Informix Dynamic Server, published on 9 Dec 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Informix Dynamic Server 12.10 and 14.10 onsmsync is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking which could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.  IBM X-Force ID:  250753.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-28523?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Ibm Informix Dynamic Server, Ibm Informix Dynamic Server on Cloud Pak for Data.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-28523?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-28523 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-28523 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28523 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Informix Dynamic Server

- [CVE-2010-4070](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4070/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-2753](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-2753/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-0949](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0949/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-0768](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0768/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-1033](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1033/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-28523 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-28523 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Ibm Informix Dynamic Server, published on 9 Dec 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28523 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Informix Dynamic Server. 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-2023-28523/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28523/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-28523
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28523
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-28523

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28523/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.