Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-28502

Memory Safety in Rocketsoftware Universe ≤ 11.3.5

Public PoCHigh EPSSMemory Safety
Published
29 March 2023
Modified
18 February 2025
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.61 99.1th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-28502 is a critical-severity Classic Buffer Overflow (CWE-120) vulnerability in Rocketsoftware Universe. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 0.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

Rocket Software UniData versions prior to 8.2.4 build 3003 and UniVerse versions prior to 11.3.5 build 1001 or 12.2.1 build 2002 contain a stack-based buffer overflow in the udadmin service. The flaw, tracked under CWE-120 and CWE-787, carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 and permits unauthenticated remote code execution.

An attacker with network access to the UniRPC listener can send a crafted request that overflows the buffer, resulting in arbitrary code execution with root privileges on the affected server. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the attack can be performed over the network.

Public references, including Rapid7’s advisory and Packet Storm postings, point to vendor-supplied updates that remediate the issue by correcting the buffer handling in the udadmin component. Administrators are advised to upgrade UniData and UniVerse to the fixed builds listed in the vendor notices.

EPSS for the CVE rose from low values after disclosure to a peak of 0.8060 in December 2025 before receding to the current 0.6792, indicating increased exploitation interest well after the initial publication. Public proof-of-concept material has been available since shortly after the March 2023 disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Rocket Software UniData versions prior to 8.2.4 build 3003 and UniVerse versions prior to 11.3.5 build 1001 or 12.2.1 build 2002 suffer from a stack-based buffer overflow in the "udadmin" service that can lead to remote code execution as the…

more

root user.

CWE(s)
CWE-120CWE-787

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1211 Exploitation for Stealth Stealth
Adversaries may exploit vulnerabilities to evade detection by hiding activity, suppressing logging, or operating within trusted or unmonitored components.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-28506Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-28504Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-28508Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-28505Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2026-53203Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-5717Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-45863Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-31436Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-0977Same product: Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2023-1078Same product: Linux Linux Kernel

Affected Assets

rocketsoftware
unidata
≤ 8.2.4
rocketsoftware
universe
≤ 11.3.5 · 12.0.0 — 12.2.1

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

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Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.2.1

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SC-27 Platform-independent Applications
addresses: CWE-120

Platform-independent managed code eliminates the need for unchecked native buffer copies that are the root cause of classic buffer overflows.

SI-16 Memory Protection
addresses: CWE-787

Out-of-bounds writes that corrupt control flow or inject shellcode are rendered non-executable by the same memory protections.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly enforce bounds checking and input validation that prevent classic buffer overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes such as code review or scanning detect classic buffer overflows before exploitation.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching replaces vulnerable code containing unchecked buffer copies with corrected versions.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.28 Secure coding mostly match
prevents

Secure coding directly requires bounds-checked memory operations, addressing the root cause of CWE-120.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect buffer overflows through fuzzing and static analysis, though it does not prevent them at the source.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates processes that can include input validation and bounds checking to prevent buffer overflows.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify input-size validation and safe buffer handling to mitigate classic buffer overflows.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure system architecture and engineering principles promote defensive coding patterns that reduce the likelihood of unchecked buffer copies.

A.8.32 Change management partial match
prevents

Change management can enforce review gates that catch unsafe memory operations before deployment.

References