CVE-2023-48707Network attack vector

User impersonation via cleartext HMAC secret storage

Published Nov 24, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Cleartext credential storage in CodeIgniter Shield before 1.0.0-beta.8 allows attackers with database access to impersonate HMAC users. The generateHmacToken() path persisted secretKey as the identity record's secret2 value without encrypting it. Exploitation requires access to both the stored key and secretKey; the recovered pair signs requests as the corresponding user.

CVSS severity5.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext credential storage in CodeIgniter Shield before 1.0.0-beta.8 allows attackers with database access to impersonate HMAC users. The generateHmacToken() path persisted secretKey as the identity record's secret2 value without encrypting it. Exploitation requires access to both the stored key and secretKey; the recovered pair signs requests as the corresponding user.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-48707
Published
Nov 24, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
CodeIgniter Foundation
Product
CodeIgniter Shield
Classifications
CWE-312, T1552
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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=< 1.0.0-beta.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

CodeIgniter Foundation · CodeIgniter Shieldversion=< 1.0.0-beta.8

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
5.0GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-312Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
T1552Unsecured Credentials

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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