# CVE-2023-39427: Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium Out-of-bounds Write

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious XE files in Ashlar-Vellum CAD applications.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 26 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 16 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xxcp-3qr6-x6g4

## What is CVE-2023-39427?

CVE-2023-39427 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Ashlar Cobalt, published on 26 Oct 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

In Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, and Cobalt Share v12 SP0 Build (1204.77), the affected applications lack proper validation of user-supplied data when parsing XE files. This could lead to an out-of-bounds write. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-39427?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Ashlar Argon, Ashlar Cobalt, Ashlar Graphite, Ashlar Lithium, Ashlar Xenon.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-39427?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-39427 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-39427 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-39427 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ashlar Cobalt

- [CVE-2025-65086](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65086/): Out-of-bounds write in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, Cobalt Share (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2025-65087](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65087/): Out-of-bounds read in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, Cobalt Share (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2025-65088](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65088/): Out-of-bounds read in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, Cobalt Share (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2025-65084](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65084/): Out-of-bounds Write in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, Cobalt Share (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2025-65085](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65085/): Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, Cobalt Share (high 8.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-39427 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-39427 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Ashlar Cobalt, published on 26 Oct 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-2023-39427 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ashlar Cobalt. 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-2023-39427/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39427/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-39427
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-39427
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-39427

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39427/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.