CVE-2023-6395
CWE-20Published: January 16, 2024· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
The Mock software contains a vulnerability wherein an attacker could potentially exploit privilege escalation, enabling the execution of arbitrary code with root user privileges. This weakness stems from the absence of proper sandboxing during the expansion and execution of Jinja2 templates, which may be included in certain configuration parameters. While the Mock documentation advises treating users added to the mock group as privileged, certain build systems invoking mock on behalf of users might inadvertently permit less privileged users to define configuration tags. These tags could then be passed as parameters to mock during execution, potentially leading to the utilization of Jinja2 templates for remote privilege escalation and the execution of arbitrary code as the root user on the build server.
Risk Analysis
The Mock software contains a critical vulnerability where improper sandboxing of Jinja2 templates allows for privilege escalation. This can enable a less privileged user to execute arbitrary code with root privileges, which is highly dangerous in build environments.
There is no known public exploit for this issue, and it is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Ensure that users added to the mock group are strictly managed and that build systems are configured to prevent unauthorized configuration tag injection.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2023-6395 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.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (16)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-20)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2023-6395 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts