CVE-2023-31138Network attack vector

Unauthorized object modification via PATCH model traversal

Published May 9, 2023 · Updated Jan 28, 2025

Improper access control in the DHIS2 Core Web API allows remote authenticated users to modify unauthorized related objects. PATCH request processing traverses object-model paths supplied in the payload and applies updates to related objects without checking access to those objects. The caller must have write access to the initial object; successful exploitation changes data outside that authorization boundary.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.61%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in the DHIS2 Core Web API allows remote authenticated users to modify unauthorized related objects. PATCH request processing traverses object-model paths supplied in the payload and applies updates to related objects without checking access to those objects. The caller must have write access to the initial object; successful exploitation changes data outside that authorization boundary.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-31138
Published
May 9, 2023
Updated
Jan 28, 2025
Vendor
DHIS2
Product
DHIS2 Core
Classifications
CWE-863, CWE-284, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 9, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 28, 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=>= 2.36, < 2.37.9.1
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 2.38, < 2.38.3.1
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 2.39, < 2.39.1.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

DHIS2 · DHIS2 Coreversion=>= 2.36, < 2.37.9.1; version=>= 2.38, < 2.38.3.1; version=>= 2.39, < 2.39.1.2

Published CVSS scores

6.5NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
7.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
CWE-284Improper Access Control
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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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