CVE-2023-49288

CVE-2023-49288 is a high-severity vulnerability in Squid-cache Squid with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6. 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-416.

Key facts

Description

Squid is a caching proxy for the Web supporting HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more. Affected versions of squid are subject to a a Use-After-Free bug which can lead to a Denial of Service attack via collapsed forwarding. All versions of Squid from 3.5 up to and including 5.9 configured with "collapsed_forwarding on" are vulnerable. Configurations with "collapsed_forwarding off" or without a "collapsed_forwarding" directive are not vulnerable. This bug is fixed by Squid version 6.0.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should remove all collapsed_forwarding lines from their squid.conf.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-49288?
Squid is a caching proxy for the Web supporting HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more. Affected versions of squid are subject to a a Use-After-Free bug which can lead to a Denial of Service attack via collapsed forwarding. All versions of Squid from 3.5 up to and including 5.9 configured with "collapsed_forwarding on" are vulnerable. Configurations with "collapsed_forwarding off" or without a "collapsed_forwarding" directive are not vulnerable. This bug is fixed by Squid version 6.0.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should remove all collapsed_forwarding lines from their squid.conf.
How severe is CVE-2023-49288?
CVE-2023-49288 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-49288 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-49288?
CVE-2023-49288 affects Squid-cache Squid. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-49288?
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-2023-49288 published?
CVE-2023-49288 was published on 2023-12-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE: