Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-5574 is a memory safety bug in Xorg Xvfb under a narrow legacy multi-screen configuration. A local user could potentially crash the service or gain higher privileges. Business urgency is highest for Linux systems where untrusted users can start or interact with Xvfb or VNC-related graphical sessions.
Executive priority
Handle through normal high-severity Linux patch governance, with faster action on shared servers, VDI, CI, or lab systems where untrusted users can run Xvfb. The issue is serious but constrained by local access and a specific legacy configuration.
Technical view
The flaw is a CWE-416 use-after-free in damagedestroy affecting xorg-x11-server-Xvfb. It is triggered in Zaphod-style multi-screen setups when pointer movement between screens precedes Xvfb shutdown or reset. Red Hat rates related impact high with CVSS 7.0: local access, high complexity, low privileges, no user interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears narrow. Red Hat lists xorg-x11-server as affected on RHEL 7, 8, and 9, and tigervnc 0:1.13.1-8.el9 as affected on RHEL 9. Xwayland is listed unaffected on RHEL 8 and 9. Risk depends on Xvfb use with legacy multi-screen protocol screens.
Exploitation context
Sources describe a local, high-complexity condition requiring a specific legacy Xvfb multi-screen configuration and server shutdown or reset. The source bundle does not indicate CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Treat internet-facing exposure as indirect unless remote users can obtain local graphical session access.
Researcher notes
Do not assume all Xorg deployments are exploitable. The described trigger is Xvfb-specific and configuration-dependent. Red Hat affectedness differs by package and release, with several unaffected entries. Evidence provided does not include public exploitation or a universal upstream mitigation beyond vendor advisories.
Mitigation direction
- Apply applicable vendor updates, including Red Hat guidance in RHSA-2024:2298 where relevant.
- Review Red Hat CVE guidance for affected package and platform status.
- Disable or avoid legacy Xvfb multi-screen Zaphod configurations where not required.
- Prioritize systems allowing untrusted local users to run graphical or VNC sessions.
- Check NetApp advisory applicability if NetApp products are in scope.
Validation and detection
- Inventory RHEL systems for xorg-x11-server, Xvfb, and tigervnc packages.
- Identify Xvfb deployments using legacy multi-screen protocol-screen configurations.
- Verify applicable Red Hat errata or package updates are installed.
- Confirm Xwayland-only systems are not incorrectly treated as affected.
- For RHEL 6 xorg status, seek vendor confirmation before closing risk.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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-416: 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 lookupCVE-2023-5574 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe 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.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H15.9redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- RHSA-2024:2298CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5574CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2244735CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2023-October/003430.htmlCVE reference, redhat
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231130-0004/CVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.