---
title: "CVE-2023-2868: Remote Code injection in Barracuda Email… | CubePath"
description: "A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only) product effecting versions…"
language: en
source: https://cubepath.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-2868
---

# CVE-2023-2868: Remote Code injection in Barracuda Email… | CubePath

## Description

A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only) product effecting versions 5.1.3.001-9.2.0.006\. The vulnerability arises out of a failure to comprehensively sanitize the processing of .tar file (tape archives). The vulnerability stems from incomplete input validation of a user-supplied .tar file as it pertains to the names of the files contained within the archive. As a consequence, a remote attacker can specifically format these file names in a particular manner that will result in remotely executing a system command through Perl's qx operator with the privileges of the Email Security Gateway product. This issue was fixed as part of BNSF-36456 patch. This patch was automatically applied to all customer appliances.

Official description from the CVE record, published by Google. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CVE license. [View the record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-2868)

## Key data

### CVSS 3.1 Critical 9.4

Score published by Google in the CVE record.

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

| Metric                 | Value     | What it means                                                                       |
| ---------------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Attack vector          | Network   | The vulnerable component can be reached over a network, possibly from the Internet. |
| Attack complexity      | Low       | No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will.               |
| Privileges required    | None      | No account or privileges are needed.                                                |
| User interaction       | None      | No action from any user is needed.                                                  |
| Scope                  | Unchanged | The impact stays within the vulnerable component.                                   |
| Confidentiality impact | High      | Serious or total effect on the secrecy of data.                                     |
| Integrity impact       | High      | Serious or total effect on the trustworthiness of data.                             |
| Availability impact    | Low       | Limited effect on availability.                                                     |

CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at [first.org/cvss](https://www.first.org/cvss/) .

### EPSS

Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days.

Score

0.86841 (86.8% probability)

Percentile

99.7%

Scores of

Nov 10, 2026

Model

v2026.06.15

### CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

This CVE is listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Name in the catalog

Barracuda Networks ESG Appliance Improper Input Validation Vulnerability

Added to the catalog

May 26, 2023

Federal due date

Jun 16, 2023

### CISA assessment as of Jan 16, 2025

Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) decision points added by CISA.

Exploitation

Recorded by CISA as active

Automatable

yes

Technical impact

total

### Weakness (CWE)

CWE catalog version 5.0.

CWE names: Copyright © 2006-2026, The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CWE license.

- [CWE-20](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/20.html) Improper Input Validation

## Affected products

Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them.

- Barracuda Email Security Gateway

  - affected: 5.1.3.001 up to before 9.2.0.006

## References

Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control.

- [barracuda.com/company/legal/esg-vulnerability](https://www.barracuda.com/company/legal/esg-vulnerability)
- [status.barracuda.com/incidents/34kx82j5n4q9](https://status.barracuda.com/incidents/34kx82j5n4q9)

## Timeline

1. ID reserved May 24, 2023
2. Record published May 24, 2023
3. Added to CISA KEV May 26, 2023
4. Record last updated Oct 21, 2025

## Look up another CVE

## About CubePath

CubePath is a cloud provider with data centers in Europe and the United States. It offers VPS, bare metal servers and DDoS protection.

[Cloud VPS](https://cubepath.com/vps) [DDoS protection](https://cubepath.com/ddos-protection)

Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 19:26 UTC. [Sources and licenses](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal)