CVE-2023-38488Network attack vector

Content field overwrite via BOM-masked separators

Published Jul 27, 2023 · Updated Oct 17, 2024

Field injection in Content Folder Kirby 3.x allows attackers with content write access to overwrite protected content fields. KirbyData decoding removes embedded Unicode BOM bytes before splitting fields, turning a BOM-masked separator that bypassed write-time escaping into a valid delimiter. Reachability requires an authenticated Panel user or a visitor-facing feature that writes content; only earlier or absent fields can be replaced, affecting site content or behavior.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.92%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Field injection in Content Folder Kirby 3.x allows attackers with content write access to overwrite protected content fields. KirbyData decoding removes embedded Unicode BOM bytes before splitting fields, turning a BOM-masked separator that bypassed write-time escaping into a valid delimiter. Reachability requires an authenticated Panel user or a visitor-facing feature that writes content; only earlier or absent fields can be replaced, affecting site content or behavior.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38488
Published
Jul 27, 2023
Updated
Oct 17, 2024
Vendor
Content Folder
Product
Kirby
Classifications
CWE-140, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 17, 2024Record 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=< 3.5.8.3
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 3.6.0, < 3.6.6.3
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 3.7.0, < 3.7.5.2
  4. Affected versionversion=>= 3.8.0, < 3.8.41
  5. Affected versionversion=>= 3.9.0, < 3.9.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Content Folder · Kirbyversion=< 3.5.8.3; version=>= 3.6.0, < 3.6.6.3; version=>= 3.7.0, < 3.7.5.2; version=>= 3.8.0, < 3.8.41; version=>= 3.9.0, < 3.9.6

Published CVSS scores

7.1GitHubCVSS: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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-140Improper Neutralization of Delimiters
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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