# CVE-2023-48733: Security feature bypass in Ubuntu EDK II

> An insecure default in Ubuntu's EDK2 allows OS-resident attackers to bypass Secure Boot, requiring patches from Canonical.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 8 May 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-48733, DLA-3852-1, DSA-5624-1, GHSA-cjc8-gmgf-qv2g, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-48733, openSUSE-SU-2024:13807-1

## What is CVE-2023-48733?

CVE-2023-48733 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An insecure default to allow UEFI Shell in EDK2 was left enabled in Ubuntu's EDK2. This allows an OS-resident attacker to bypass Secure Boot.

Weakness: CWE-1188 (Initialization of a Resource with an Insecure Default)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-48733?

It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ovmf` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 202308-7.1 |

Products: Canonical Lxd, Debian Debian Linux, Tianocore Edk2.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-48733?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-48733 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-48733 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2026-66897](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-66897/): Instance template path traversal allows arbitrary host file write as root (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-62420](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-62420/): Cross-project cluster migration bypasses project restrictions via cluster notification flag (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-63293](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63293/): Arbitrary File Read/Write: metadata.yaml symlink in image allows host filesystem access as root (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-63294](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63294/): Root RCE via image backup.yaml symlink (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-63296](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63296/): Project restriction bypass via instance migration config override (critical 9.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-48733 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-48733 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-48733 exists.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2023-48733/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48733/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-48733
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48733
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-48733

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48733/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.