CVE-2023-24805: cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working

Q: How do I fix CVE-2023-24805?

cups-filters: upgrade to 2.0; fedora: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; debian linux: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2023-24805 being exploited?

CVE-2023-24805 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2023-24805 affect?

CVE-2023-24805 affects cups-filters, fedora, debian linux. Severity is high (CVSS 8.8). cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working on operating systems other than macos. If you use the Backend Error Handler (beh) to create an accessible network printer, this se

Q: How urgent is CVE-2023-24805?

Priority 63/100. High severity; Public exploit reference; On your watchlist

This week

HIGH 8.8WATCHLISTUPGRADEMITIGATEMITIGATE

CVE-2023-24805 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.8) affecting cups-filters, fedora, debian linux. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working on operating systems other than macos. If you use the Backend Error Handler (beh) to create an accessible network printer, this security vulnerability can cause remote code execution. `beh.c` contains the line `retval = system(cmdline) >> 8;` which calls the `system` command with the operand `cmdline`. `cmdline` contains multiple user con

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference
On your watchlist

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	8.8 (High)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	3.7% (top 10%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-78
Published	2023-05-17
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: debian · fedoraproject · linuxfoundation

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2023-05-17 18:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 05:39 UTCUpdated Record last modified

linuxfoundation cups-filters UPGRADE

Affected: < 2.0 · 2.0 beta1 · 2.0 beta2 · 2.0 beta3 · 2.0 rc1

Fixed in: 2.0

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy cups-filters || rpm -q cups-filters || cups-filters --version

2. UPGRADE to 2.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade cups-filters

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade cups-filters

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

fedoraproject fedora MITIGATE

Affected: 37 · 38

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 37

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

debian debian linux MITIGATE

Affected: 10.0 · 11.0

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 10.0

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2023-24805?

cups-filters: upgrade to 2.0; fedora: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; debian linux: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2023-24805 being exploited?

CVE-2023-24805 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2023-24805 affect?

CVE-2023-24805 affects cups-filters, fedora, debian linux. Severity is high (CVSS 8.8). cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working on operating systems other than macos. If you use the Backend Error Handler (beh) to create an accessible network printer, this se

How urgent is CVE-2023-24805?

Priority 63/100. High severity; Public exploit reference; On your watchlist

Software pages

Debian vulnerabilities · macOS vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2025-57812 LOW 3.7 UPGRADE UPGRADE CUPS is a standards-based, open-source printing system, and `libcupsfilters` contains the code of the filters
CVE-2025-64503 MEDIUM 4.0 UPGRADE UPGRADE cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working
CVE-2025-64524 LOW 3.3 UPGRADE cups-filters contains backends, filters, and other software required to get the cups printing service working

References

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