How to update curl and libcurl without panic fixing CVE-2023-38545 and CVE-2023-38546 Vulnerabilities
What is curl, and which version is vulnerable
The security community and developer alike relies on curl command-line tool used for transferring data with URLs, is an indispensable asset for developers and cybersecurity professionals. Its versatility in supporting various protocols makes it a go-to tool for many. However, like a fortified castle with a hidden weak spot, libcurl and the software itself too has its vulnerabilities. Recently, two notable Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) were identified – CVE-2023-38545 and CVE-2023-38546. The latter, rated as high severity, affects both libcurl and the curl tool, marking a significant security concern. This blog aims to delve into these vulnerabilities and provide a guide on how to ensure your software version or library like libcurl is updated and secure. Please follow the step below and the verification to ensure your vulnerability management program and applications in your application security program are secure.
OCTOBER 11, 2023 DANIEL STENBERG 9 COMMENTS In association with the release of curl 8.4.0, we publish a security advisory and all the details for CVE-2023-38545. This problem is the worst security problem found in curl in a long time. We set it to severity HIGH. While the advisory contains all the necessary details. I figured I would use a few additional words and expand the explanations for anyone who cares to understand how this flaw works and how it happened. Background curl has supported SOCKS5 since August 2002. SOCKS5 is a proxy protocol. It is a rather simple protocol for setting up network communication via a dedicated “middle man”. The protocol is for example typically used when setting up communication to get done over Tor but also for accessing Internet from within organizations and companies.
How to update curl on macOS:
Homebrew Installation:
Install the latest version of cURL using Homebrew with the command: brew install curl
Override the system default cURL by updating the system path: echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/curl/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
Verify the update by opening a new terminal window and executing: curl --version
How to update curl on Windows:
Version Check:
Open the Command Prompt and enter curl --version to check the installed version.
Determine the installation type by running where curl.
Windows Update:
If using the pre-installed version, check for official updates from Microsoft to get the patched version of cURL.
Using Package Managers:
Install or update cURL using Winget: winget install curl.curl
Or using Chocolatey: choco install curl
Environment Variables:
Adjust the PATH environment variables to prioritize the newly installed version.
For users comfortable with building from source, they can download the latest cURL source code and compile it. Here’s an example on an M1 Mac running MacOS Ventura:
Install Xcode command line tools.
Execute the build commands:
codeautoreconf -fi export ARCH=arm64 export SDK=macosx ... make -j8
Verify the build with ./src/.libs/curl --versio
Why this critical vulnerability was controversial
Its disclosure marked a significant moment, stirring discussions in the cybersecurity community. A GitHub discussion led by one of the software maintainer unveiled the upcoming release of the software version 8.4.0 on October 11, aimed at patching this security flaw alongside a low-severity vulnerability, CVE-2023-38546. Although details regarding the affected version range were withheld for security reasons, the announcement serves as a call to action for users to update their Curl version promptly.
In a recent twitter conversation, the curl team has warned teams for the October 11 release but without disclosing additional information on which version is likely to be vulnerable. This to discourage early attacks
Recently curl was in the spotlight due to the erroneous disclosure: maintainers have been vocal about downplaying the risk associated with most vulnerabilities reported against curl in the past (a recent example is the article CVE-2020-19909 is everything that is wrong with CVEs), nonetheless in this case he warned — adding, “buckle up.”
What is the exploitation data behind CVE-2023-38545 and CVE-2023-38546 In the wild
CVSS: 10->4.4
CTI interest: Low
RCE Type Remote: Unknown (potential local authentication)
Availability: No
Status: Undisclosed
EPSS Score: – not registered –
Currently, there are 2673 systems with some version of curl exposed, but considering curl is embedded in every window, mac, linux version and container used like Amazon the spread and surface could be quite vast
How Phoenix Security Can Help
Phoenix Security helps organizations identify and trace which systems have vulnerabilities, understanding the relation between code and cloud. One of the significant challenges in securing applications is knowing where and how frameworks like Struts are used. ASPM tools can scan the application portfolio to identify instances of Struts, mapping out where it is deployed across the organization. This information is crucial for targeted security measures and efficient patch management. Phoenix Security’s robust Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) system is adept at not just managing, but preempting the exploitation of vulnerabilities through its automated identification system. This system prioritises critical vulnerabilities, ensuring that teams can address the most pressing threats first, optimising resource allocation and remediation efforts.
The Role of Application Security Posture Management (ASPM):
ASPM plays a vital role in managing and securing applications like those built with Apache Struts. It involves continuous assessment, monitoring, and improvement of the security posture of applications. ASPM tools can:
Identify and Track Struts Components: Locate where Struts is implemented within the application infrastructure.
Vulnerability Management: Detect known vulnerabilities in Struts and prioritize them for remediation.
Configuration Monitoring: Ensure Struts configurations adhere to best security practices.
Compliance: Check if the usage of Struts aligns with relevant cybersecurity regulations and standards.
By leveraging Phoenix Security, you not only unravel the potential threats but also take a significant stride in vulnerability management, ensuring your application security remains up to date and focuses on the key vulnerabilities.
Get in control of your Application Security posture and Vulnerability management
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Francesco is an internationally renowned public speaker, with multiple interviews in high-profile publications (eg. Forbes), and an author of numerous books and articles, who utilises his platform to evangelize the importance of Cloud security and cutting-edge technologies on a global scale.
Learn how to predict ransomware risks and vulnerability exploitation using a threat-centric approach. Explore data-driven insights, verified exploit trends, and methods for assessing the likelihood of attacks with key references to CISA KEV, EPSS, and Phoenix Security’s 4D Risk Formula.
Remote Code Execution flaws continue to undermine Kubernetes ingress integrity. IngressNightmare (CVE-2025-1097, CVE-2025-1098, CVE-2025-24514, CVE-2025-1974) showcases severe threat vectors in NGINX-based proxies, leading to cluster-wide exposure. ASPM, robust remediation tactics, and strong application security solutions—like Phoenix Security—mitigate these vulnerabilities before ransomware groups exploit them.
Remote Code Execution flaws continue to undermine Kubernetes ingress integrity. IngressNightmare (CVE-2025-1097, CVE-2025-1098, CVE-2025-24514, CVE-2025-1974) showcases severe threat vectors in NGINX-based proxies, leading to cluster-wide exposure. ASPM, robust remediation tactics, and strong application security solutions—like Phoenix Security—mitigate these vulnerabilities before ransomware groups exploit them.
The recent Google acquisition of Wiz for $32 billion has sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity industry, particularly in the realm of Application Security Posture Management (ASPM). This monumental deal highlights the critical importance of cloud security and the growing demand for robust ASPM solutions. While the acquisition promises potential benefits for Google Cloud users, it also raises concerns about vendor lock-in and the future of cloud-agnostic security. Explore the implications of this acquisition and discover how neutral ASPM solutions like Phoenix Security can bridge the gap in multi-cloud environments, ensuring continuous, collaborative, and comprehensive security from code to cloud.”
– Find Assets/Vulns by Scanner
– Detailed findings Location information
Risk-based Posture Management
– Risk and Risk Magnitude for Assets
– Filter assets and vulnerabilities by source scanner
Integrations
– BurpSuite XML Import
– Assessment Import API
Other Improvements
– Improved multi-selection in filters
– New CVSS Score column in Vulnerabilities
The team at Phoenix Security pleased to bring you another set of new application security (ASPM) features and improvements for vulnerability management across application and cloud security engines. This release builds on top of previous releases with key additions and progress across multiple areas of the platform.
Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) Enhancements
• New Weighted Asset Risk Formula – Refined risk aggregation for tailored vulnerability management.
• Auto-Approval of Risk Exceptions – Accelerate mitigation by automating security approvals.
• Enhanced Risk Explorer & Business Unit Insights – Monitor and analyze risk exposure by business units for better prioritization.
Vulnerability & Asset Management
• Link Findings to Existing Tickets – Seamless GitHub, ServiceNow, and Azure DevOps integration.
• Multi-Finding Ticketing for ADO – Group multiple vulnerabilities in a single ticket for better workflow management.
• Filter by Business Unit, CWE, Ownership, and Deployment Environment – Target vulnerabilities with precision using advanced filtering.
Cyber Threat Intelligence & Security Enhancements
• Cyber Threat Intelligence Premium – Access 128,000+ exploits for better exploitability and fixability metrics.
• SBOM, Container SBOM & Open Source Artifact Analysis – Conduct deep security analysis with reachability insights.
• Enhanced Lacework Container Management – Fetch and analyze running container details for better security reporting.
• REST API Enhancements – Use asset tags for automated deployments and streamline security processes.
Other Key Updates
• CVE & CWE Columns Added – Compare vulnerabilities more effectively.
• Custom Status Management for Findings – Personalize security workflows with custom status configurations.
• Impact & Risk Explorer Side Panel – Gain heatmap-based insights into vulnerability distribution and team risk impact.
🚀 Stay ahead of vulnerabilities, optimize risk assessment, and enhance security efficiency with Phoenix Security’s latest features! 🚀
Discover CVE-2025-30066 tj-actions/changed-files GitHub Action has been compromised, exposing secrets in CI/CD pipelines and posing a major software supply chain security risk. Attackers injected malicious code into all versions (V1–V45), repointing existing tags to a compromised commit that exfiltrated credentials via GitHub Actions logs. Immediate remediation is required—organizations must scan their repositories, rotate secrets, and replace the action to mitigate risk. Learn how Phoenix Security’s ASPM can automate threat detection and enhance GitHub Actions security.
Derek Fisher – Head of product security at a global fintech. Speaker, instructor, and author in application security.
Derek is an award winning author of a children’s book series in cybersecurity as well as the author of “The Application Security Handbook.” He is a university instructor at Temple University where he teaches software development security to undergraduate and graduate students. He is a speaker on topics in the cybersecurity space and has led teams, large and small, at organizations in the healthcare and financial industries. He has built and matured information security teams as well as implemented organizational information security strategies to reduce the organizations risk.
Derek got his start in the hardware engineering space where he learned about designing circuits and building assemblies for commercial and military applications. He later pursued a computer science degree in order to advance a career in software development. This is where Derek was introduced to cybersecurity and soon caught the bug. He found a mentor to help him grow in cybersecurity and then pursued a graduate degree in the subject.
Since then Derek has worked in the product security space as an architect and leader. He has led teams to deliver more secure software in organizations from multiple industries. His focus has been to raise the security awareness of the engineering organization while maintaining a practice of secure code development, delivery, and operations.
In his role, Jeevan handles a range of tasks, from architecting security solutions to collaborating with Engineering Leadership to address security vulnerabilities at scale and embed security into the fabric of the organization.
Jeevan Singh is the Director of Security Engineering at Rippling, with a background spanning various Engineering and Security leadership roles over the course of his career. He’s dedicated to the integration of security practices into software development, working to create a security-aware culture within organizations and imparting security best practices to the team. In his role, Jeevan handles a range of tasks, from architecting security solutions to collaborating with Engineering Leadership to address security vulnerabilities at scale and embed security into the fabric of the organization.
James Berthoty has over ten years of experience across product and security domains. He founded Latio Tech to help companies find the right security tools for their needs without vendor bias.
Chris Romeo is a leading voice and thinker in application security, threat modeling, and security champions and the CEO of Devici and General Partner at Kerr Ventures. Chris hosts the award-winning “Application Security Podcast,” “The Security Table,” and “The Threat Modeling Podcast” and is a highly rated industry speaker and trainer, featured at the RSA Conference, the AppSec Village @ DefCon, OWASP Global AppSec, ISC2 Security Congress, InfoSec World and All Day DevOps. Chris founded Security Journey, a security education company, leading to an exit in 2022. Chris was the Chief Security Advocate at Cisco, spreading security knowledge through education and champion programs. Chris has twenty-six years of security experience, holding positions across the gamut, including application security, security engineering, incident response, and various Executive roles. Chris holds the CISSP and CSSLP certifications.
Jim Manico is the founder of Manicode Security, where he trains software developers on secure coding and security engineering. Jim is also the founder of Brakeman Security, Inc. and an investor/advisor for Signal Sciences. He is the author of Iron-Clad Java: Building Secure Web Applications (McGraw-Hill), a frequent speaker on secure software practices, and a member of the JavaOne Rockstar speaker community. Jim is also a volunteer for and former board member of the OWASP foundation.
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