CVE-2023-29403: On Unix platforms, the Go runtime does not behave differently when a binary is run with the setuid/setgid bits. This can be dangerous in certain cases...

Description

On Unix platforms, the Go runtime does not behave differently when a binary is run with the setuid/setgid bits. This can be dangerous in certain cases, such as when dumping memory state, or assuming the status of standard i/o file descriptors. If a setuid/setgid binary is executed with standard I/O file descriptors closed, opening any files can result in unexpected content being read or written with elevated privileges. Similarly, if a setuid/setgid program is terminated, either via panic or signal, it may leak the contents of its registers.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.43%

34.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-668

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Golang	Go	< 1.19.10
Golang	Go	>= 1.20.0, < 1.20.5
Fedoraproject	Fedora	38

References

Timeline

Published: Jun 8, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-29403?

On Unix platforms, the Go runtime does not behave differently when a binary is run with the setuid/setgid bits. This can be dangerous in certain cases, such as when dumping memory state, or assuming the status of standard i/o file descriptors. If a setuid/setgid binary is executed with standard I/O file descriptors closed, opening any files can result in unexpected content being read or written with elevated privileges. Similarly, if a setuid/setgid program is terminated, either via panic or signal, it may leak the contents of its registers.

How severe is CVE-2023-29403?

CVE-2023-29403 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.43% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-29403?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.