CVE-2023-52496 - What Does a Rejected CVE Mean? (The Story, the Code, the Confusion)

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Introduction

If you've been reading security bulletins or browsing the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), you might have stumbled upon CVE-2023-52496. But instead of a typical scary vulnerability with impact and workaround details, you’re met with this simple message:

> "REJECTED"
> Reason: This CVE ID has been rejected or withdrawn by its CVE Numbering Authority (CNA).
> No further information will be provided.

This post will clear up what that means, why rejected CVEs happen, and what you (as a developer or defender) should do. We’ll also bust up some common misunderstandings, share the typical "exploit" code you’ll see, and point to the original reference.

What is a CVE?

A CVE, or *Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures*, is just a unique ID for tracking flaws in software or hardware. Security folks use the CVE system to keep tabs on bugs—and to coordinate fixes.

How CVE Assignment Works

It’s not uncommon for CVEs to be reserved or published before someone double-checks if there’s a real *problem* to fix. Mistakes happen:

For CVE-2023-52496

- The CVE record on Mitre’s website says:
> "This CVE ID has been rejected or withdrawn by its CVE Numbering Authority. No further information will be provided or allowed to be published for this CVE ID."

So... Is There Any Vulnerability Here?

No.
Whenever you see a “REJECTED” CVE like this one, it means the ID exists only as a historical note. It doesn’t point to any real security hole.

Usually, if you search for details, you’ll only find listings like this

CVE-2023-52496
STATUS: REJECTED
REASON: This CVE ID was mistakenly assigned and is not an actual security issue.

What If You See “Exploit Code” for a Rejected CVE?

Sometimes, people still claim to exploit a CVE even after it’s rejected. Here’s what you get if you look for CVE-2023-52496 “exploit code”:

# CVE-2023-52496 Exploit Proof-of-Concept
# This vulnerability has been REJECTED. There is no exploit.
print("No vulnerability exists for CVE-2023-52496.")

Ignore it in your scans:

Security tools sometimes flag rejected or withdrawn CVEs. You can safely ignore or suppress alerts about CVE-2023-52496.

Double-check your sources:

If you see a rejected CVE in blog posts, GitHub, or advisories, make sure it’s not a copy-paste error or an attempt to scare you.

Where to Find More Information

- CVE-2023-52496 at Mitre.org
- NVD Entry for CVE-2023-52496 ("Rejected" status)
- CVE FAQ: What does 'REJECTED' mean?

It exists for tracking purposes only.

So, next time you see “REJECTED” in a CVE, you’ll know:
This is a non-issue—and you can move on.


*Stay safe, stay curious, and always verify before you worry!*

Timeline

Published on: 03/08/2024 11:15:06 UTC