---
title: "CVE-2023-4641\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-4641?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2023-4641

Publication date 27 December 2023

Last updated 19 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Low**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-4641?format=md#priority-reason )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**4.7 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-4641?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

A flaw was found in shadow-utils. When asking for a new password,
shadow-utils asks the password twice. If the password fails on the second
attempt, shadow-utils fails in cleaning the buffer used to store the first
entry. This may allow an attacker with enough access to retrieve the
password from the memory.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-4641?format=md#notes)

### Why is this CVE low priority?

Unlikely attack scenario

[Learn more about Ubuntu priority](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| shadow | 26.04 LTS resolute | Not affected |
| 25.10 questing | Not affected |
| 25.04 plucky | Not affected |
| 24.10 oracular | Not affected |
| 24.04 LTS noble | Not affected |
| 23.10 mantic | Fixed 1:4.13+dfsg1-1ubuntu1.1 |
| 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needed |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Fixed 1:4.8.1-2ubuntu2.2 |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Fixed 1:4.8.1-1ubuntu5.20.04.5 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 1:4.5-1ubuntu2.5+esm1  Ubuntu Pro |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 1:4.2-3.1ubuntu5.5+esm4  Ubuntu Pro |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 1:4.1.5.1-1ubuntu9.5+esm4  Ubuntu Pro |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-4641?format=md#patch-details)

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## Notes

---

### [alexmurray](https://launchpad.net/~alexmurray)

Technically this doesn't seem able to be exploitable in practice

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| shadow | * Upstream:   [65c88a4](https://github.com/shadow-maint/shadow/commit/65c88a43a23c2391dcc90c0abda3e839e9c57904) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

4.7 · Medium

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Local |
  | Attack complexity | High |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | None |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 4.7 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-4641)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4641)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2023-4641)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-4641)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-6640-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-6640-1)
+ shadow vulnerability
+ 15 February 2024

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-4641>