CVE-2023-27706

Vault decryption via exposed biometric key

Published Jun 9, 2023 · Updated Jan 6, 2025

Cleartext storage of sensitive information in Bitwarden Desktop before 2023.4.0 allows local users to decrypt the vault via Windows Credential Manager. The Windows desktop biometric component stores the key in Credential Manager without adequate protection, allowing another process in the same user context to retrieve it. Exploitation requires local unprivileged access and enabled biometric unlock; compromise exposes vault confidentiality and permits data modification.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.58%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext storage of sensitive information in Bitwarden Desktop before 2023.4.0 allows local users to decrypt the vault via Windows Credential Manager. The Windows desktop biometric component stores the key in Credential Manager without adequate protection, allowing another process in the same user context to retrieve it. Exploitation requires local unprivileged access and enabled biometric unlock; compromise exposes vault confidentiality and permits data modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-27706
Published
Jun 9, 2023
Updated
Jan 6, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-312, T1555.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 9, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 6, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-312Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
T1555.004Credentials from Password Stores: Windows Credential Manager

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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