How severe is CVE-2023-4966?

CVE-2023-4966 has a CVSS score of 9.4/10, rated CRITICAL. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2023-4966?

Affected package information for CVE-2023-4966 is not yet fully mapped. Check the official advisory links for details.

How do I fix CVE-2023-4966?

No fixed release is recorded for CVE-2023-4966 yet. Track the upstream advisory, and apply the exposure-reduction steps below in the meantime.

How do I detect CVE-2023-4966 in my code and dependencies?

Identify every host running the affected component and compare the installed build against the fixed version below — for source-built or distro-packaged software the version string, not a lockfile, is the source of truth (`dpkg -l`, `rpm -q`, or the binary's own `--version`).

How do I mitigate CVE-2023-4966 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Constrain what reaches the vulnerable code: limit the size and shape of untrusted input, isolate the affected component in a sandboxed or least-privileged process, and enable the platform's memory-safety mitigations (ASLR, stack protector, hardened allocator) so an out-of-bounds access is more likely to fail closed than to be exploitable.

Is CVE-2023-4966 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 14 known exploit references for CVE-2023-4966, including 9 in-the-wild exploitations observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2023-4966?

CVE-2023-4966 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 100.0%, placing it in the 100th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A score above 50% indicates significantly elevated exploitation risk — immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Is CVE-2023-4966 in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog?

Yes. CVE-2023-4966 (Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway Buffer Overflow Vulnerability) was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2023-10-18. CISA required all US federal civilian agencies to remediate this vulnerability by 2023-11-08. The required action was: Apply mitigations and kill all active and persistent sessions per vendor instructions [https://www.netscaler.com/blog/news/cve-2023-4966-critical-security-update-now-available-for-netscaler-adc-and-netscaler-gateway/] OR discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. This CVE has been used in known ransomware campaigns. Being listed in the KEV catalog is the strongest possible confirmation of active exploitation — treat this as a critical priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2023-4966?

CVE-2023-4966 is classified as Buffer Overflow (CWE-119). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation. This is a high-impact weakness class that often enables remote code execution or data exposure.

Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2023-4966?

A Nuclei detection template exists for CVE-2023-4966, meaning automated scanners can fingerprint it. Public exploit tooling significantly increases real-world risk — prioritize patching and ensure detection coverage. Exploit tooling should only ever be used in isolated, authorized testing environments.

When was CVE-2023-4966 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2023-4966 was published on October 10, 2023 and was last updated on July 31, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

🛡️

CISA KEV · ACTIVELY EXPLOITED

CRITICAL severity

CVE-2023-4966

CRITICAL

CVE-2023-4966 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.4) Buffer Overflow vulnerability. It is in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2023-10-18) and has been used in ransomware campaigns — treat it as actively exploited and patch now. No vendor fix is recorded yet; mitigation options are listed below.

Sensitive information disclosure in NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway when configured as a Gateway (VPN virtual server, ICA Proxy, CVPN, RDP Proxy) or AAA  virtual server.

Published

Oct 10, 2023

Updated

Jul 31, 2026

Affected

2 products

Patched

See advisory

Exploits

14 known

Exploitation data as of Oct 6, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Exploitation Status

Actively exploited in the wild

Confirmed by CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-10-18 — including use in ransomware campaigns. Federal agencies were required to remediate by 2023-11-08.
CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.

Exploitation and automatability from CISA (KEV catalog and SSVC triage) for CVE-2023-4966.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

100.0%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Very High Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs100th percentile — riskier than 100% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

How urgent is this, really

CVE-2023-4966 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). In the shaded patch-first corner (EPSS 50%+, CVSS 7.0+).

Where this sits among everything scored

Of 383,485 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the ≥ 90% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.

Description

Sensitive information disclosure in NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway when configured as a Gateway (VPN virtual server, ICA Proxy, CVPN, RDP Proxy) or AAA  virtual server.

Affected Products

2 products · 9 configurations

Application

netscaler application delivery controllercitrix

≥ 14.1 && < 14.1-8.50

range

Application

netscaler gatewaycitrix

≥ 14.1 && < 14.1-8.50

range

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.