Network authentication attack via pam_krb5
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-287.
Summary
pam_krb5 authenticates a user by essentially running kinit with the password, getting a ticket-granting ticket (tgt) from the Kerberos KDC (Key Distribution Center) over the network, as a way to verify the password. However, if a keytab is not provisioned on the system, pam_krb5 has no way to validate the response from the KDC, and essentially trusts the tgt provided over the network as being valid. In a non-default FreeBSD installation that leverages pam_krb5 for authentication and does not have a keytab provisioned, an attacker that is able to control both the password and the KDC responses can return a valid tgt, allowing authentication to occur for any user on the system.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD | FreeBSD | 13.2-RELEASE to before 13.2-RELEASE-p1; 13.1-RELEASE to before 13.1-RELEASE-p8; 12.4-RELEASE to before 12.4-RELEASE-p3 | 13.2-RELEASE-p1, 13.1-RELEASE-p8, 12.4-RELEASE-p3 | Patch available | CNA |
- FreeBSD VendorFreeBSD Affected 13.2-RELEASE to before 13.2-RELEASE-p1; 13.1-RELEASE to before 13.1-RELEASE-p8; 12.4-RELEASE to before 12.4-RELEASE-p3 Fixed in 13.2-RELEASE-p1, 13.1-RELEASE-p8, 12.4-RELEASE-p3 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 18
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 12.4; 13.0 to before 13.1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 12.4 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:p1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 12.4 p1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:p2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 12.4 p2 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:rc2-p1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 12.4 rc2-p1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:rc2-p2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 12.4 rc2-p2 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:b1-p1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 b1-p1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:b2-p2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 b2-p2 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 12.4; 13.0 to before 13.1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.4 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:p1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.4 p1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:p2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.4 p2 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:rc2-p1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.4 rc2-p1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:12.4:rc2-p2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.4 rc2-p2 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:b1-p1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 b1-p1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:b2-p2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 b2-p2 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
Show 8 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p2 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p3 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p4 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p5 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p6 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 p7 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:rc1-p1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.1 rc1-p1 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
| cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.2 | Vulnerable | FreeBSD |
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p2 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p3 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p4 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p5 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p6 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:p7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 p7 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.1:rc1-p1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.1 rc1-p1 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
- cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.2 Vulnerable ·FreeBSD
Remediation
- Fix · CNA FreeBSD (FreeBSD) Fixed in 13.2-RELEASE-p1, 13.1-RELEASE-p8, 12.4-RELEASE-p3
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-3326
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-vjhp-527w-c5vj
References
More Freebsd vulnerabilities
- TI-2011-04182 Buffer overflow in libtelnet/encrypt.c in telnetd in FreeBSD 7.3 through 9.0, MIT… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
- TI-2007-03684 Integer overflow in print-bgp.c in the BGP dissector in tcpdump 3.9.6 and earlier allows… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2002-00376 Integer overflow in xdr_array function in RPC servers for operating systems that use… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-05929 Openssh: regresshion - race condition in ssh allows rce/dos CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2003-00437 Off-by-one error in the fb_realpath() function, as derived from the realpath function in… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2003-00642 The prescan function in Sendmail 8.12.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
Sources
- CVE-2023-3326 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-3326 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-vjhp-527w-c5vj · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences