# CVE-2023-28617: Command injection in n/a > Attackers can execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in file or directory names processed by Org Mode in GNU Emacs. - **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 19 Mar 2023 - **Updated:** 3 Nov 2025 - **Also known as:** ALSA-2023:1930, ALSA-2023:2074, AZL-25707, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-28617, DLA-3616-1, GHSA-xwfh-qqww-gr22, MGASA-2023-0152, OESA-2023-1185, RHSA-2023:1915, RHSA-2023:1930, RHSA-2023:1931, RHSA-2023:1958, RHSA-2023:2010, RHSA-2023:2074, RHSA-2023:3189, RLSA-2023:1930, RLSA-2023:2074, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-28617, USN-6003-1 ## What is CVE-2023-28617? CVE-2023-28617 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 19 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. ### Official description org-babel-execute:latex in ob-latex.el in Org Mode through 9.6.1 for GNU Emacs allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a file name or directory name that contains shell metacharacters. Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-28617? It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `emacs` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-common` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-filesystem` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-lucid` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-nox` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-terminal` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-common` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-filesystem` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-lucid` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-nox` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-common-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-lucid` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-lucid-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-nox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-nox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-terminal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:26.1-7.el8_7.1 | | `emacs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-common-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-lucid` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-lucid-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-nox` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs-nox-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 1:27.2-6.el9_1.1 | | `emacs` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | | `emacs-common` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | | `emacs-common-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | | `emacs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | | `emacs-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | | `emacs-lucid` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | | `emacs-lucid-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream | All versions | 1:26.1-5.el8_2.1 | Products: Gnu Org Mode. ## How do I fix CVE-2023-28617? Apply the vendor's patch. ## Is CVE-2023-28617 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28617 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2023-28617 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2023-28617 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 19 Mar 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28617 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-2023-28617/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28617/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-28617 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28617 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-28617 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28617/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.