dbcve.org
Axis OsOperating system · Axis

CVE-2023-5800

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-02-05
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 9.80.55 / 10.12.220 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Vintage, member of the AXIS OS Bug Bounty Program, has found that the VAPIX API create_overlay.cgi did not have a sufficient input validation allowing for a possible remote code execution. This flaw can only be exploited after authenticating with an operator- or administrator-privileged service account. Axis has released patched AXIS OS versions for the highlighted flaw. Please refer to the Axis security advisory for more information and solution.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The VAPIX API create_overlay.cgi in AXIS OS lacks sufficient input validation, allowing authenticated users with operator or administrator privileges to achieve remote code execution through specially crafted requests.

MitigationApply Axis OS security patches to affected devices; until patched, restrict access to the VAPIX API to trusted administrators only and monitor for suspicious activity.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Axis OsOperating system
Affected:< 11.8.61
Axis Os 2020Operating system
Affected:< 9.80.55
Axis Os 2022Operating system
Affected:< 10.12.220

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the Axis device and its Axis OS version
    Access the device's web interface or use the VAPIX API to query the systeminfo endpoint (e.g., http://<device-ip>/axis-cgi/sysinfo.cgi) or check the device's administration page for the firmware/OS version
    Affected if The installed Axis OS version falls below 11.8.61, 9.80.55, or 10.12.220 depending on the release branch
  2. Confirm the VAPIX API is accessible
    Verify network accessibility to the device's VAPIX endpoints (typically port 80 or 443). Attempt to reach http://<device-ip>/axis-cgi/ or test the create_overlay.cgi endpoint
    Affected if The VAPIX API is exposed to untrusted networks (internet-facing or accessible to non-admin users)
  3. Review operator and administrator accounts
    Check the device's user management settings via the web interface (Settings > Users) or query the VAPIX param.cgi endpoint for user accounts
    Affected if There are operator or administrator accounts configured, as the vulnerability requires authenticated access with these privilege levels
  4. Check for suspicious VAPIX API requests in logs
    Review device logs via the web interface (Settings > Logs) or query the VAPIX log buffer for entries containing create_overlay.cgi and unusual command patterns
    Affected if Logs show unexpected or malicious create_overlay.cgi requests that may indicate exploitation attempts

You are affected if your Axis device runs a version of Axis OS earlier than 11.8.61, 9.80.55, or 10.12.220 AND the VAPIX API is accessible to authenticated operators or administrators.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 9.80.55 / 10.12.220 / 11.8.61 or later
Fixed in 9.80.5510.12.22011.8.61
Interim mitigation

Apply Axis OS security patches to affected devices; until patched, restrict access to the VAPIX API to trusted administrators only and monitor for suspicious activity.

Recommended fix High confidence

AXIS OS 11.8.61 (or later) | AXIS OS 2020 9.80.55 (or later) | AXIS OS 2022 10.12.220 (or later)

  1. Check the current Axis OS version via the device web interface (System > About > Axis OS) or via VAPIX API
  2. Identify the firmware track (Axis OS, Axis OS 2020, or Axis OS 2022) from the current version number
  3. Download the appropriate patched Axis OS firmware from the official Axis website (www.axis.com) - ensure version 11.8.61 or later for Axis OS, 9.80.55 or later for Axis OS 2020, or 10.12.220 or later for Axis OS 2022
  4. Access the device web interface as administrator and navigate to System > Maintenance > Firmware Upgrade
  5. Upload the downloaded firmware file and initiate the upgrade process
  6. Wait for the device to reboot and verify the new firmware version is installed
  7. Confirm the VAPIX API create_overlay.cgi endpoint is now patched
Caveat Firmware upgrades may cause temporary device unavailability during the update process; verify compatibility with third-party integrations before upgrading production devices

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Axis Os Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-5800 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-5800 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data