# CVE-2023-38146: Windows Themes Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> An attacker can exploit a race condition in Windows Themes to execute arbitrary code on affected Windows 11 systems.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 30 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qmqc-m76c-pmrm

## What is CVE-2023-38146?

CVE-2023-38146 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 21h2, published on 12 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Windows Themes Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Weakness: CWE-367 (Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38146?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 11 21h2, Microsoft Windows 11 22h2.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38146?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38146 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38146 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38146 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Proof-of-Concept for CVE-2023-38146 ("ThemeBleed") (github_poc): https://github.com/exploits-forsale/themebleed
- PoC for the ThemeBleed Windows 11 CVE-2023-38146 written in python using impacket. https://jnns.de/posts/cve-2023-38146-poc/ (github_poc): https://github.com/Jnnshschl/CVE-2023-38146
- A proof of concept using python for the CVE-2023-38146 "ThemeBleed" (github_poc): https://github.com/Durge5/ThemeBleedPy
- Themebleed- Windows 11 Themes Arbitrary Code Execution CVE-2023-38146 (metasploit)
- Better POC (github_poc): https://github.com/CH0ico/CVE-2023-38146-Poc

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 11 21h2

- [CVE-2024-38080](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38080/): Microsoft Windows Hyper-V Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-23392](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23392/): HTTP Protocol Stack Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-43533](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43533/): Remote Desktop Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-38259](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38259/): Microsoft Management Console Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-37977](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37977/): Secure Boot Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability (high 8.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38146 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38146 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 21h2, published on 12 Sep 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38146 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 11 21h2. 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-2023-38146/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38146/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38146
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38146
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38146

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38146/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.