# CVE-2023-3899: Subscription-manager: inadequate authorization of com.redhat.rhsm1 d-bus interface allows local users to modify configuration

Status: published. Published: 2023-08-23. Updated: 2026-11-07.

A vulnerability was found in subscription-manager that allows local privilege escalation due to inadequate authorization. The D-Bus interface com.redhat.RHSM1 exposes a significant number of methods to all users that could change the state of the registration. By using the com.redhat.RHSM1.Config.SetAll() method, a low-privileged local user could tamper with the state of the registration, by unregistering the system or by changing the current entitlements. This flaw allows an attacker to set arbitrary configuration directives for /etc/rhsm/rhsm.conf, which can be abused to cause a local privilege escalation to an unconfined root.

## Remediation

- workaround: A workaround is to mask rhsm.service using: 

~~~
systemctl mask rhsm.service
~~~

When the rhsm.service is masked, then no D-Bus call cannot trigger the service and all D-Bus calls will be terminated with error: "Call failed: Could not activate remote peer." But then all applications using D-Bus API will not work until you unmask the service using: "systemctl unmask rhsm.service" (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.24.52-2.el7_9; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.28.36-3.el8_8; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.1 Update Services for SAP Solutions (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.25.17.1-2.el8_1; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Support (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.26.22-2.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Telecommunications Update Service (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.26.22-2.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.26.22-2.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.28.13-7.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update Service (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.28.13-7.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.28.13-7.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.28.29.1-2.el8_6; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.29.33.1-2.el9_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support (subscription-manager): ≥ 0:1.29.26.2-2.el9_0; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (subscription-manager): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 7.8 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: redhat

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.24% as of 2026-11-06; percentile 15.31%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact total; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-285

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4701 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4702 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4703 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4704 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4705 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4706 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4707 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4708 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3899 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2225407 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4701 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4702 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4703 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4704 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4705 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4706 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4707 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:4708 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3899 (ADP: CVE; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2225407 (ADP: CVE; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FJHKSBBZRDFOBNDU35FUKMYQIQYT6UJQ/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZDIHGNLS3TZVX7X2F735OKI4KXPY4AH6/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-3899; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated 2026-11-07

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2023-3899; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated Not reported

Revision: 74644b24b3800dc7e48867076a5effaaa48e61fbfcfafe3f7cdf68789df9265a

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2023-3899

## Agent and API access

Public CVE pages, Markdown, and JSON are free to read without an account or API key.

- Public catalog: https://y2.dev/cve/index.json. Follow nextCursor with the same search, filters, sort, and limit (1–100). A null cursor marks the end.

- WebMCP: search_cve_disclosures, get_cve_disclosure, get_cve_page_markdown, get_y2_cve_access. Available in compatible browsers.

- Cyber API: https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves and https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves/{cveId}.

- Y2 Pro or Elite: create a workspace API key with the intel:cyber scope and send Authorization: Bearer <Y2_API_KEY>. Setup: https://y2.dev/docs/api/create-key.

- x402: Pay per request without an account or API key. Omit Authorization, read the HTTP 402 PAYMENT-REQUIRED challenge, validate its current requirements, and retry with PAYMENT-SIGNATURE through an authorized payment client. These browser tools never make payments. Guide: https://y2.dev/docs/api/x402.

- OpenAPI: https://y2.dev/api/openapi.yaml. Agent access metadata: https://y2.dev/cve/agent.json.

Collected public records only. Check source status for coverage and freshness.