# CVE-2023-32643: Memory corruption in glib

> A heap buffer overflow in GLib's GVariant deserialization allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 14 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-28777, GHSA-8jhw-fpw9-r227, JLSEC-2025-163, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-32643

## What is CVE-2023-32643?

CVE-2023-32643 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in glib, published on 14 Sep 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

A flaw was found in GLib. The GVariant deserialization code is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow introduced by the fix for CVE-2023-32665. This bug does not affect any released version of GLib, but does affect GLib distributors who followed the guidance of GLib developers to backport the initial fix for CVE-2023-32665.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-32643?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gnome Glib.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-32643?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-32643 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-32643 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in glib

- [CVE-2020-35457](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35457/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2009-3289](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3289/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-13601](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13601/): Glib: integer overflow in in g_escape_uri_string() (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2026-58016](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-58016/): Glib: integer underflow in gio/gdbusintrospection.c via "g_dbus_node_info_new_for_xml" (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2025-4056](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-4056/): Glib: glib crash after long command line (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-32643 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-32643 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in glib, published on 14 Sep 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-2023-32643 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: glib. 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-2023-32643/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32643/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-32643
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-32643
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-32643

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32643/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.