# CVE-2023-40596: Splunk Enterprise on Windows Privilege Escalation due to Insecure OPENSSLDIR Build Definition Reference in DLL

> An attacker can achieve privilege escalation on Windows by exploiting an insecure DLL path reference in Splunk Enterprise.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mwr4-hjv7-wjrh

## What is CVE-2023-40596?

CVE-2023-40596 is a high-severity vulnerability in Splunk Splunk, published on 30 Aug 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Splunk Enterprise versions earlier than 8.2.12, 9.0.6, and 9.1.1, a dynamic link library (DLL) that ships with Splunk Enterprise references an insecure path for the OPENSSLDIR build definition. An attacker can abuse this reference and subsequently install malicious code to achieve privilege escalation on the Windows machine.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element), CWE-665 (Improper Initialization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-40596?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Splunk Splunk.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-40596?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-40596 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-40596 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-40596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Splunk Splunk

- [CVE-2026-20253](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20253/): Splunk Enterprise Missing Authentication for Critical Function (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-76268](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-76268/): Missing Authentication for Critical Function in the Patroni REST API in Splunk Enterprise (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-76284](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-76284/): Improper Neutralization in Splunk Enterprise (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-76285](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-76285/): Improper Adherence to Coding Standards in Splunk Enterprise (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-17067](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17067/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-40596 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-40596 is a high-severity vulnerability in Splunk Splunk, published on 30 Aug 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-2023-40596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Splunk Splunk. 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-2023-40596/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40596/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-40596
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40596
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-40596

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40596/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.