# CVE-2023-3961: Samba: smbd allows client access to unix domain sockets on the file system as root

Status: published. Published: 2023-11-03. Updated: 2026-11-07.

A path traversal vulnerability was identified in Samba when processing client pipe names connecting to Unix domain sockets within a private directory. Samba typically uses this mechanism to connect SMB clients to remote procedure call (RPC) services like SAMR LSA or SPOOLSS, which Samba initiates on demand. However, due to inadequate sanitization of incoming client pipe names, allowing a client to send a pipe name containing Unix directory traversal characters (../). This could result in SMB clients connecting as root to Unix domain sockets outside the private directory. If an attacker or client managed to send a pipe name resolving to an external service using an existing Unix domain socket, it could potentially lead to unauthorized access to the service and consequential adverse events, including compromise or service crashes.

## Remediation

- workaround: Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability. (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (samba): ≥ 0:4.18.6-2.el8_9; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support (samba): ≥ 0:4.15.5-13.el8_6; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Support (samba): ≥ 0:4.17.5-4.el8_8; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (samba): ≥ 0:4.18.6-101.el9_3; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support (samba): ≥ 0:4.15.5-111.el9_0; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support (samba): ≥ 0:4.17.5-104.el9_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (samba): ≥ 0:4.15.5-13.el8_6; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (samba): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (samba4): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (samba): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Storage 3 (samba): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 9.1 (critical); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: redhat

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 2.69% as of 2026-11-06; percentile 85.93%

- SSVC: Not available

- Weaknesses: CWE-22

## Exploit evidence

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

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6209 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6744 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7371 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7408 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7464 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7467 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3961 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2241881 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15422 (CNA: redhat)

- https://www.samba.org/samba/security/CVE-2023-3961.html (CNA: redhat)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6209 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6744 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7371 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7408 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7464 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7467 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3961 (ADP: CVE; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2241881 (ADP: CVE; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15422 (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZUMVALLFFDFC53JZMUWA6HPD7HUGAP5I/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231124-0002/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://www.samba.org/samba/security/CVE-2023-3961.html (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-3961; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated 2026-11-07

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2023-3961; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated Not reported

Revision: 1356329c35b60c774f854eea2b9594f06980639de6ba5f89724a5a3a18629e1f

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2023-3961

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