CVE-2023-22294Network attack vector

Root access via world-readable cluster secret

Published Apr 18, 2023 · Updated Feb 5, 2025

Privilege escalation in Checkmk Appliance before 1.6.4 allows remote authenticated users to gain root access through a cluster secret. A secondary cluster node leaves /etc/cma/api.secret world-readable, so a monitoring site can read the secret after that node takes over. The issue requires a two-node cluster, site access, and secondary-node failover; the exposed secret grants root access on both nodes.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.68%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Checkmk Appliance before 1.6.4 allows remote authenticated users to gain root access through a cluster secret. A secondary cluster node leaves /etc/cma/api.secret world-readable, so a monitoring site can read the secret after that node takes over. The issue requires a two-node cluster, site access, and secondary-node failover; the exposed secret grants root access on both nodes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-22294
Published
Apr 18, 2023
Updated
Feb 5, 2025
Vendor
Checkmk GmbH
Product
Checkmk Appliance
Classifications
CWE-732, CAPEC-233, T1552.001, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 18, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 5, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <1.6.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Checkmk GmbH · Checkmk Applianceversion=0 <1.6.4

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8Checkmk GmbHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
T1552.001Credentials In Files
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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