CVE-2023-33204 is a vulnerability identified in the sysstat utility, a widely used Linux tool for monitoring system performance metrics. The issue lies in the check_overflow function within the common.c source file, where a multiplication integer overflow can occur. This vulnerability is a result of an incomplete remediation of a prior vulnerability, CVE-2022-39377, indicating that the original fix did not fully address the underlying problem. The integer overflow (classified under CWE-190) can lead to memory corruption, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting a high severity level, with the vector indicating that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no public exploits have been reported, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the critical nature of sysstat in system monitoring and diagnostics. The lack of an available patch at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention from system administrators to mitigate potential exploitation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-33204 can be substantial, particularly in environments where sysstat is deployed on critical servers and infrastructure. Successful exploitation could allow a local attacker to escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code, compromising system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This could lead to unauthorized data access, manipulation of system monitoring data, or disruption of system performance monitoring, which is vital for operational stability and security incident detection. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government, which rely heavily on Linux-based systems and sysstat for performance monitoring, are at heightened risk. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk from insider threats or compromised user accounts. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not preclude targeted attacks or future exploit development.

1. Monitor sysstat vendor channels and security advisories closely for the release of official patches addressing CVE-2023-33204 and apply them promptly. 2. Until patches are available, restrict local user access to systems running sysstat to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of exploitation. 3. Implement strict user privilege management to prevent unprivileged users from executing or interacting with vulnerable sysstat components. 4. Employ application whitelisting and runtime protection tools to detect and block anomalous behavior related to sysstat processes. 5. Conduct regular audits of sysstat usage and logs to identify unusual activity that may indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Consider isolating critical monitoring systems from general user environments to reduce exposure. 7. Educate users about the risks of interacting with vulnerable utilities and enforce policies to limit unnecessary user interaction with sysstat. 8. Use security tools capable of detecting integer overflow exploitation techniques to enhance detection capabilities.