LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2023-38252: W3m: out of bounds read in strnew_size() at w3m/str.c

An out-of-bounds read flaw was found in w3m, in the Strnew_size function in Str.c. This issue may allow an attacker to cause a denial of service through a crafted HTML file.

MediumCVSS 4.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

w3m has an out-of-bounds read bug that can make the program crash when it handles a crafted HTML file. The main business impact is denial of service for workflows or users relying on w3m, not data theft or system takeover based on the provided sources.

Executive priority

Handle through normal vulnerability management unless w3m processes untrusted HTML in important workflows. Prioritize legacy Linux systems and automation paths first. This is not an emergency based on the provided evidence, but it can disrupt dependent processes.

Technical view

CVE-2023-38252 is a CWE-125 out-of-bounds read in w3m's Strnew_size function in Str.c. The supplied CVSS 3.1 vector rates it 4.7: local attack vector, high complexity, no privileges, user interaction required, and high availability impact only.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where w3m is installed and used to open attacker-supplied or untrusted HTML. The bundle lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 package w3m with unknown default status and includes Fedora advisory references, but version and fix details are incomplete.

Exploitation context

No active exploitation is stated in the provided sources, and the CVE is not marked KEV. Exploitation appears to require a crafted HTML file and user interaction with w3m. The expected outcome is denial of service, not confidentiality or integrity compromise.

Researcher notes

The evidence names the vulnerable function and denial-of-service outcome, but the bundle does not provide complete affected version ranges or a specific patch identifier. Treat version applicability and remediation status as vendor-tracker questions, especially for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and Fedora references.

Mitigation direction

  • Check Red Hat and Fedora advisories for applicable w3m package updates.
  • Avoid opening untrusted HTML with w3m until vendor guidance is applied.
  • Limit automated w3m use to trusted input sources where possible.
  • Remove w3m from systems that do not require it.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory systems for installed w3m packages.
  • Confirm whether RHEL 6 or Fedora systems match vendor advisory scope.
  • Review jobs or users that process external HTML with w3m.
  • Monitor vendor trackers for fix status and applicability updates.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-125: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2023-38252 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
4.7 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
7Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
4.7CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H13.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

4.7Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-38252Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6w3munknown
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-125

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-125 · source CWE mapping

Out-of-bounds Read

Out-of-bounds Read represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs