What is CVE-2023-40050?

CVE-2023-40050 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Chef Automate, classified under Code Injection. CVSS score: 9.9/10. Published 2023-10-31.

How severe is CVE-2023-40050?

Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.9 out of 10.

RCE in Chef Automate

CVE-2023-40050

Upload profile either through API or user interface in Chef Automate prior to and including version 4.10.29 using InSpec check command with maliciously crafted profile allows remote code execution.

Vulnerability class: RCE (Remote Code Execution)

Published 2023-10-31 · last modified 2026-06-17.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 9.9 (Critical). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.012 (66.6th percentile), scored 2026-09-30.

Low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, but still tracked. 67th percentile — 66.6% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.012 · newest: 0.012 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Chef Automate
Progress Software Corporation Chef Automate — versions 4.0.0

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

docs.chef.io/release_notes_automate/ (release-notes, Release Notes)
docs.chef.io/automate/profiles/ (release-notes, Product)
community.progress.com/s/article/Product-Alert-Bulletin-October-2023-CHEF-Autom… (vendor-advisory, Vendor Advisory)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-40050?: CVE-2023-40050 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Chef Automate, classified under Code Injection. CVSS score: 9.9/10. Published 2023-10-31.
How severe is CVE-2023-40050?: Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.9 out of 10.