---
id: "CVE-2023-2868"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2023-2868"]
title: "A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only)\u2026"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.8
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Barracuda Networks Email Security Gateway (ESG) Appliance", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "barracuda email security gateway 300 firmware", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "barracuda email security gateway 400 firmware", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "barracuda email security gateway 600 firmware", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "barracuda email security gateway 800 firmware", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "barracuda email security gateway 900 firmware", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["appliance", "barracuda-esg", "email-gateway", "exploited", "infrastructure"]
not_affected_if: ["no-esg-appliance-deployed"]
published_at: "2023-05-24T19:15:09+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2023-2868", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2868", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"}]
---

# A remote command injection vulnerability exists in the Barracuda Email Security Gateway (appliance form factor only)…

Barracuda Email Security Gateway appliances have an input validation flaw in how they process an uploaded .tar file, allowing remote command injection. An attacker who can reach the appliance can run commands on it, and the flaw is confirmed exploited in the wild.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Barracuda Networks Email Security Gateway (ESG) Appliance affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:barracuda email security gateway 300 firmware affected >= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006 fixed ?
- vendor:barracuda email security gateway 400 firmware affected >= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006 fixed ?
- vendor:barracuda email security gateway 600 firmware affected >= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006 fixed ?
- vendor:barracuda email security gateway 800 firmware affected >= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006 fixed ?
- vendor:barracuda email security gateway 900 firmware affected >= 5.1.3.001, <= 9.2.0.006 fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the vendor update per Barracuda's instructions; CISA's required action is to apply updates per vendor instructions. Exact fixed version: unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2023-2868
- 2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2868

## From the sources

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.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_