CVE-2023-4695Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Secret compromise via predictable random generation

Published Sep 1, 2023 · Updated Sep 30, 2024

Predictable random generation in PKP Web Application Library before 3.3.0-16 allows remote authenticated users to compromise secret values. UUIDs, RSS and OAI tokens, plugin extraction paths, generated passwords, and a CSRF fallback use rand or mt_rand instead of cryptographically secure randomness. Low-privileged network access is the CNA-published gate; prediction of these values enables confidentiality and integrity compromise without a reported service interruption.

CVSS severity9.6
Critical
EPSS probability0.72%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Predictable random generation in PKP Web Application Library before 3.3.0-16 allows remote authenticated users to compromise secret values. UUIDs, RSS and OAI tokens, plugin extraction paths, generated passwords, and a CSRF fallback use rand or mt_rand instead of cryptographically secure randomness. Low-privileged network access is the CNA-published gate; prediction of these values enables confidentiality and integrity compromise without a reported service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-4695
Published
Sep 1, 2023
Updated
Sep 30, 2024
Vendor
Public Knowledge Project
Product
PKP Web Application Library
Classifications
CWE-1241
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 1, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 30, 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=unspecified <3.3.0-16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Public Knowledge Project · PKP Web Application Libraryversion=unspecified <3.3.0-16

Published CVSS scores

8.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.6huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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.

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1241Use of Predictable Algorithm in Random Number Generator

Public exploit references

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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