MEDIUM CVSS 4.9
Published: 2025-04-15

CVE-2023-5616

gnome control_center Security Advisory (CVE-2023-5616)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2023-5616 impacting gnome control_center. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 4.9 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
In Ubuntu, gnome-control-center did not properly reflect SSH remote login status when the system was configured to use systemd socket activation for openssh-server. This could unknowingly leave the local machine exposed to remote SSH access contrary to expectation of the user.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
High (AC:H)
Depends on race conditions or environment
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
Low (A:L)
Partial service performance degradation

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product gnome / control_center
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-290

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2023-5616 impacting gnome control_center.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2023-5616.yaml
id: cve-2023-5616

info:
  name: gnome control_center - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2023-5616 affecting gnome control_center.
    Evaluation: In Ubuntu, gnome-control-center did not properly reflect SSH remote login status when the system was configured to use systemd socket activation for o...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2023-5616
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
    cvss-score: 4.9
    cve-id: CVE-2023-5616
    cwe-id: CWE-290
  tags: cve,cve-2023-5616,gnome,control_center,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "control_center"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2023-5616.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2023-5616
# Target: gnome control_center | CVSS: 4.9 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2023-5616 (gnome control_center)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against gnome control_center scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2023-5616.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2023-5616
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install control_center 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade control_center 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update control_center

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i control_center 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i control_center

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2023-5616 in gnome control_center?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update gnome control_center packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2023-5616?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2023-5616?

CVE-2023-5616 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 4.9 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
4.9
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2023-5616
Weakness CWE-290
Vendor gnome
Product control_center
Published 2025-04-15
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L