# CVE-2023-5993: Privilege Escalation in SafeNet Authentication Client Installer

> Local attackers can escalate privileges via a flaw in the Windows Installer for Thales SafeNet Authentication Client.

- **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:** 27 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hgjg-jggf-65cx

## What is CVE-2023-5993?

CVE-2023-5993 is a high-severity vulnerability in Thales SafeNet Authentication Client, published on 27 Feb 2024. 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

A flaw in the Windows Installer in Thales SafeNet Authentication Client prior to 10.8 R10 on Windows allows an attacker to escalate their privilege level via local access.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5993?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Thalesgroup Safenet Authentication Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5993?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-5993 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-5993 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5993 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Thales SafeNet Authentication Client

- [CVE-2023-7016](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-7016/): Privilege Escalation in SafeNet Authentication Client (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-42056](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42056/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5993 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5993 is a high-severity vulnerability in Thales SafeNet Authentication Client, published on 27 Feb 2024. 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-2023-5993 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Thales SafeNet Authentication Client. 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-2023-5993/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5993/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5993
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5993
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5993

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5993/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.