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TI-2023-03715 Aliases CVE-2023-4001GHSA-rr4v-xrwq-7rhx

Grub2: bypass the grub password protection feature

Priority LOW 33CWE-290Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Physical
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 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-290.

Summary

An authentication bypass flaw was found in GRUB due to the way that GRUB uses the UUID of a device to search for the configuration file that contains the password hash for the GRUB password protection feature. An attacker capable of attaching an external drive such as a USB stick containing a file system with a duplicate UUID (the same as in the "/boot/" file system) can bypass the GRUB password protection feature on UEFI systems, which enumerate removable drives before non-removable ones. This issue was introduced in a downstream patch in Red Hat's version of grub2 and does not affect the upstream package.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00542 45th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 3 advisories

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9—1:2.06-70.el9_3.2Patch availableCNA
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support—1:2.06-27.el9_0.16Patch availableCNA
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support—1:2.06-61.el9_2.2Patch availableCNA
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8——Not affectedCNA
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in 1:2.06-70.el9_3.2 Patch available CNA
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in 1:2.06-27.el9_0.16 Patch available CNA
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in 1:2.06-61.el9_2.2 Patch available CNA
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — Not affected CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 4

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:grub2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*not specified by NVDVulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*9.0VulnerableRed Hat
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*38VulnerableFedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:39:*:*:*:*:*:*:*39VulnerableFedoraproject
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:grub2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
  • cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 38 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
  • cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:39:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 39 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject

Remediation

Red Hat 3 advisories

  • RHSA-2024:0437 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    grub2 security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.0) grub2-1:2.06-27.el9_0.16, grub2-common-1:2.06-27.el9_0.16, grub2-efi-aa64-1:2.06-27.el9_0.16 +13
  • RHSA-2024:0468 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    grub2 security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) grub2-1:2.06-70.el9_3.2, grub2-common-1:2.06-70.el9_3.2, grub2-efi-aa64-1:2.06-70.el9_3.2 +13
  • RHSA-2024:0456 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    grub2 security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) grub2-1:2.06-61.el9_2.2, grub2-common-1:2.06-61.el9_2.2, grub2-efi-aa64-1:2.06-61.el9_2.2 +13

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2024:0468
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.0)Fixed RHSA-2024:0437
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2)Fixed RHSA-2024:0456
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-4001
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rr4v-xrwq-7rhx

References

  • TI-2019-08259 Underflow in PHP-FPM can lead to RCE KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2018-10530 Code injection in [UNKNOWN] RichFaces KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2014-05975 GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-025 processes trailing strings after certain malformed… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2014-05157 GNU Bash through 4.3 processes trailing strings after function definitions in the values… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-23530 Sudo before 1.9.17p1 allows local users to obtain root access because /etc/nsswitch.conf… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.3
  • TI-2021-17490 mod_proxy SSRF KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.0
See all 1955 →

Sources