# CVE-2023-41349: ASUS RT-AX88U - externally-controlled format string

> An authenticated attacker can exploit a format string vulnerability in the OpenVPN configuration to leak sensitive information or cause a permanent denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 25 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xqpv-jvpq-xjvc

## What is CVE-2023-41349?

CVE-2023-41349 is a high-severity vulnerability in ASUS RT-AX88U, published on 18 Sep 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ASUS router RT-AX88U has a vulnerability of using externally controllable format strings within its Advanced Open VPN function. An authenticated remote attacker can exploit the exported OpenVPN configuration to execute an externally-controlled format string attack, resulting in sensitivity information leakage, or forcing the device to reset and permanent denial of service.

Weakness: CWE-134 (Use of Externally-Controlled Format String)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-41349?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Asus Rt-Ax88u Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-41349?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-41349 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-41349 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-41349 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in ASUS RT-AX88U

- [CVE-2022-26674](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26674/): ASUS RT-AX88U - Format String (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-34360](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34360/): ASUS RT-AX88U - Stored XSS (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2023-34358](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34358/): ASUS RT-AX88U - Out-of-bounds Read - 1 (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-34359](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34359/): ASUS RT-AX88U - Out-of-bounds Read - 2 (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2021-41437](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41437/): Other in n/a (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-41349 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-41349 is a high-severity vulnerability in ASUS RT-AX88U, published on 18 Sep 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-41349 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ASUS RT-AX88U. 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-2023-41349/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41349/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-41349
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-41349
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-41349

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41349/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.