How severe is CVE-2023-40596?

CVE-2023-40596 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2023-40596 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (5th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-40596?

CVE-2023-40596 primarily affects Splunk. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-40596?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2023-40596 published?

CVE-2023-40596 was published on 2023-08-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-40596

CVE-2023-40596 is a high-severity vulnerability in Splunk with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-427.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (5th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-427
Affected product: Splunk
Published: 2023-08-30
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In Splunk Enterprise versions earlier than 8.2.12, 9.0.6, and 9.1.1, a dynamic link library (DLL) that ships with Splunk Enterprise references an insecure path for the OPENSSLDIR build definition. An attacker can abuse this reference and subsequently install malicious code to achieve privilege escalation on the Windows machine.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-40596?: In Splunk Enterprise versions earlier than 8.2.12, 9.0.6, and 9.1.1, a dynamic link library (DLL) that ships with Splunk Enterprise references an insecure path for the OPENSSLDIR build definition. An attacker can abuse this reference and subsequently install malicious code to achieve privilege escalation on the Windows machine.
How severe is CVE-2023-40596?: CVE-2023-40596 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-40596 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (5th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-40596?: CVE-2023-40596 primarily affects Splunk. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-40596?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2023-40596 published?: CVE-2023-40596 was published on 2023-08-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://advisory.splunk.com/advisories/SVD-2023-0805

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:splunk:splunk:*:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:splunk:splunk:9.1.0:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*

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