CVE-2023-2868: Barracuda Networks ESG Appliance Improper Input Validation Vulnerability

Critical severity, CVSS 9.8. Actively exploited: in CISA KEV since 2023-05-26. EPSS: 87.7% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only) product effecting versions 5.1.3.001-9.2.0.006. The vulnerability arises out of a failure to comprehensively sanitize the processing of .tar file (tape archives). The vulnerability stems from incomplete input validation of a user-supplied .tar file as it pertains to the names of the files contained within the archive. As a consequence, a remote attacker can specifically format these file names in a particular manner that will result in remotely executing a system command through Perl's qx operator with the privileges of the Email Security Gateway product. This issue was fixed as part of BNSF-36456 patch. This patch was automatically applied to all customer appliances.

Affected products

• Barracuda Email Security Gateway 300 Firmware: from 5.1.3.001, up to and including 9.2.0.006
• Barracuda Email Security Gateway 400 Firmware: from 5.1.3.001, up to and including 9.2.0.006
• Barracuda Email Security Gateway 600 Firmware: from 5.1.3.001, up to and including 9.2.0.006
• Barracuda Email Security Gateway 800 Firmware: from 5.1.3.001, up to and including 9.2.0.006
• Barracuda Email Security Gateway 900 Firmware: from 5.1.3.001, up to and including 9.2.0.006

Published 2023-05-24. Last modified 2026-06-17.