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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-20861

🗓️ 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus🔗 www.tenable.com👁 5 Views

Linux host unpatched CVE-2023-20861: DoS via SpEL in Spring 6.0.x, 5.3.x, 5.2.x; no vendor patch.

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Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(252549);
  script_version("1.7");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/05/21");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2023-20861");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-20861");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - In Spring Framework versions 6.0.0 - 6.0.6, 5.3.0 - 5.3.25, 5.2.0.RELEASE - 5.2.22.RELEASE, and older
    unsupported versions, it is possible for a user to provide a specially crafted SpEL expression that may
    cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. (CVE-2023-20861)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-20861");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-20861");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2023-20861");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2023/03/23");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/20");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.10");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:12.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:13.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:14.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:libspring-java");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:libspring-java");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025-2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-11", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-12", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-13", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-14", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-22.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-24.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-25.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-25.10");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-11": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "11",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-aop-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-beans-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-support-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-core-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-expression-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-instrument-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jdbc-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jms-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-messaging-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-orm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-oxm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-test-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-transaction-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-portlet-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-servlet-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-12": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "12",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-aop-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-beans-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-support-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-core-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-expression-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-instrument-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jdbc-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jms-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-messaging-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-orm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-oxm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-test-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-transaction-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-portlet-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-servlet-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-13": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "13",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-aop-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-beans-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-support-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-core-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-expression-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-instrument-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jdbc-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jms-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-messaging-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-orm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-oxm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-test-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-transaction-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-portlet-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-servlet-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-14": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-aop-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-beans-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-context-support-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-core-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-expression-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-instrument-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jdbc-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-jms-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-messaging-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-orm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-oxm-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-test-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-transaction-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-portlet-java"},
          {"reference": "libspring-web-servlet-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "18.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "20.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-22.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "22.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-24.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "24.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-25.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "25.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-25.10": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "25.10",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libspring-java"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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21 May 2026 00:00Current
6.8Medium risk
Vulners AI Score6.8
CVSS 3.16.5
EPSS0.00542
SSVC
vulnerability 2023-20861linux hostdenial of servicespel expressionspring framework versionsno vendor patch
5