VulnerabilityPublished 19 Apr 2023Updated 7 Nov 2025

CVE-2023-22893: strapi · Improper Authentication

Affects strapiSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · public detection template (Nuclei) · CVSS 8.2 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

8.2High

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 4.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 90% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

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

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: Low
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact on the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 19 Apr 2023
Detectable: evidence found.
nuclei template: Strapi Versions <=4.5.6 - Authentication Bypass
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmstrapi`pkg:npm/strapi`Other threats	Affected <=4.5.5	Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2023-22893, organizations should upgrade Strapi to a version where this vulnerability is fixed as soon as a patch is released. In the absence of an immediate patch, administrators should consider disabling AWS Cognito as an authentication provider or replacing it with alternative, verified OAuth providers. Implement additional token validation layers, such as verifying JWT signatures independently before accepting tokens. Employ strict network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Strapi instances to trusted networks only. Monitor authentication logs for suspicious activity indicative of token forgery or unauthorized access attempts. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on authentication mechanisms. Finally, educate developers and administrators about secure OAuth implementation practices and the risks of accepting tokens signed with the 'None' algorithm.

Description

Strapi through 4.5.5 does not verify the access or ID tokens issued during the OAuth flow when the AWS Cognito login provider is used for authentication. A remote attacker could forge an ID token that is signed using the 'None' type algorithm to bypass authentication and impersonate any user that use AWS Cognito for authentication.

Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive content, user data, and administrative controls within Strapi-powered applications. Since Strapi is often used for content management and backend APIs, attackers exploiting this flaw could manipulate content, exfiltrate confidential information, or disrupt services by impersonating legitimate users, including administrators. The breach of confidentiality and integrity could have regulatory implications under GDPR, especially if personal data is exposed. Additionally, organizations relying on AWS Cognito for authentication will find their identity assurance compromised. The impact is heightened in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, where data sensitivity is paramount. The ease of exploitation and remote nature of the attack vector increase the risk of widespread abuse if unpatched systems are accessible over the internet.

CWE-287Improper Authentication (opens in a new tab)
Class weaknessLikelihood of exploit: HighOWASP Top 10 A07:2025: Authentication Failures (opens in a new tab)
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
MITRE discourages mapping vulnerabilities to this broad entry; the root cause is usually a more specific weakness.
Architecture and Design · Libraries or Frameworks
Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
OWASP Authentication (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V2.8.5 (opens in a new tab)
V2.8.4 (opens in a new tab)
V9.2.3 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Fake the Source of Data (opens in a new tab)
Utilizing REST's Trust in the System Resource to Obtain Sensitive Data (opens in a new tab)
Session Hijacking (opens in a new tab)
Token Impersonation (opens in a new tab)
Upload a Web Shell to a Web Server (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 7 Nov 2025, 17:30 UTC

Public exploits and detectiona Nuclei detection template

WeaknessesCWE-287

Technical details

References

Community reviews

Related threats