Is CVE-2023-40890 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2023-40890 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2023-40890 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2023-40890 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-40890?

CVE-2023-40890 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-40890

CRITICAL

CVE-2023-40890

CWE-787Published: August 29, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the lookup_sequence function of ZBar 0.23.90. Specially crafted QR codes may lead to information disclosure and/or arbitrary code execution. To trigger this vulnerability, an attacker can digitally input the malicious QR code, or prepare it to be physically scanned by the vulnerable scanner.

NVD Source

Risk Analysis

ZBar version 0.23.90 contains a stack-based buffer overflow in the lookup_sequence function. Processing a specially crafted QR code can lead to arbitrary code execution or information disclosure, warranting a critical CVSS score of 9.8.

There is no known public exploit for this vulnerability, and it is not in the CISA KEV. It is remotely exploitable via malicious QR code input.

Recommended Action

Upgrade ZBar to a patched version. Avoid scanning untrusted or suspicious QR codes.

Generated by the CTIWATCH analysis pipeline from this CVE's metadata (CVSS, EPSS, KEV status, exploit intelligence). Verify against vendor advisories before acting.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-40890 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-787): Out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities can lead to data corruption, crashes, or arbitrary code execution.