CVE-2023-5893Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Category deletion via missing CSRF validation

Published Nov 1, 2023 · Updated Feb 27, 2025

CSRF in PKP Web Application Library before 3.3.0-16 allows remote attackers to delete categories through an authenticated user's browser. The deleteCategory method in CategoryCategoryGridHandler processes a category-deletion request without calling checkCSRF on the untrusted request. Exploitation requires a logged-in user authorized to manage categories to load attacker-controlled content, after which the targeted category is deleted.

CVSS severity3.5
Low
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

CSRF in PKP Web Application Library before 3.3.0-16 allows remote attackers to delete categories through an authenticated user's browser. The deleteCategory method in CategoryCategoryGridHandler processes a category-deletion request without calling checkCSRF on the untrusted request. Exploitation requires a logged-in user authorized to manage categories to load attacker-controlled content, after which the targeted category is deleted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5893
Published
Nov 1, 2023
Updated
Feb 27, 2025
Vendor
Public Knowledge Project
Product
PKP Web Application Library
Classifications
CWE-352
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 1, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 27, 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=unspecified <3.3.0-16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
3.5huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-352Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

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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