# CVE-2023-48643: Command injection in n/a

> Unauthenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands on Shrubbery tac_plus servers if pre-authorization directives are configured without a pre-shared secret.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 May 2024
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hp95-552p-6qxj

## What is CVE-2023-48643?

CVE-2023-48643 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 16 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Shrubbery tac_plus 2.x, 3.x. and 4.x through F4.0.4.28 allows unauthenticated Remote Command Execution. The product allows users to configure authorization checks as shell commands through the tac_plus.cfg configuration file. These are executed when a client sends an authorization request with a username that has pre-authorization directives configured. However, it is possible to inject additional commands into these checks because strings from TACACS+ packets are used as command-line arguments. If the installation lacks a a pre-shared secret (there is no pre-shared secret by default), then the injection can be triggered without authentication. (The attacker needs to know a username configured to use a pre-authorization command.) NOTE: this is related to CVE-2023-45239 but the issue is in the original Shrubbery product, not Meta's fork.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-48643?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-48643?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-48643 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-48643 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-48643 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-48643 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-48643 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 16 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-48643 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2023-48643/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48643/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-48643
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48643
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-48643

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48643/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.