VulnerabilityPublished 29 Aug 2023Updated 4 Nov 2025

CVE-2023-40889: A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the qr_reader_match_centers function of ZBar

Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

Severity

High

Rated High by the CNA (mitre) · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA

EPSS: 1.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 77% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 29 Aug 2023
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

Users of ZBar 0.23.90 should monitor vendor communications for updates and consider restricting input sources or scanning of untrusted QR codes until a fix is available.

Description

A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the qr_reader_match_centers function of ZBar version 0.23.90. This flaw can be triggered by specially crafted QR codes, potentially leading to information disclosure or arbitrary code execution when the malicious QR code is processed by the vulnerable software.

Impact

The vulnerability allows attackers to cause memory corruption via a heap-based buffer overflow, which can lead to unauthorized disclosure of information or execution of arbitrary code within the context of the vulnerable application. This can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of the affected system.

Summary

CVE-2023-40889 describes a heap-based buffer overflow in the qr_reader_match_centers function of ZBar 0.23.90. An attacker can exploit this by providing a maliciously crafted QR code either digitally or physically scanned by a vulnerable instance of ZBar. Successful exploitation may result in information disclosure or arbitrary code execution on the affected system.

References

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