CVE-2023-32682: Improper checks for deactivated users during login in synapse
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 21/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.75% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 54.9% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: matrix-org synapse 1.85.0.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to matrix-org synapse 1.85.0 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Synapse is a Matrix protocol homeserver written in Python with the Twisted framework. In affected versions it may be possible for a deactivated user to login when using uncommon configurations. This only applies if any of the following are true: 1. JSON Web Tokens are enabled for login via the `jwt_config.enabled` configuration setting. 2. The local password database is enabled via the `password_config.enabled` and `password_config.localdb_enabled` configuration settings *and* a user's password is updated via an admin API after a user is deactivated. Note that the local password database is enabled by default, but it is uncommon to set a user's password after they've been deactivated. Installations that are configured to only allow login via Single Sign-On (SSO) via CAS, SAML or OpenID Connect (OIDC); or via an external password provider (e.g. LDAP) are not affected. If not using JSON Web Tokens, ensure that deactivated users do not have a password set. This issue has been addressed in version 1.85.0. Users are advised to upgrade.
- Published
- Jun 6, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.7% · 54th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-287
Report tools
Action score
21
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 21 / 40 · 5.4 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.7%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 5.4
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 5.4
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| matrix | synapse | cpe:2.3:a:matrix:synapse |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- matrix synapsebefore 1.85.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
matrix-org synapse
- < 1.85.0affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | matrix-synapse | before 1.85.2-1.1 | 1.85.2-1.1 |
| PyPI | matrix-synapse | before 1.85.0 | 1.85.0 |
Same product
matrix: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2019-18835Matrix Synapse before 1.5.0 mishandles signature checking on some federation APIs.39Monitor
- CVE-2018-16515Matrix Synapse before 0.33.3.1 allows remote attackers to spoof events and possibly have unspecified other impacts by leveraging improper tr35Monitor
- CVE-2024-52815Synapse allows a a malformed invite to break the invitee's `/sync`34Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-39374May 26, 2023 · Synapse Denial of service due to incorrect application of event authorization rules during state resolution26Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-32323May 26, 2023 · Synapse Outgoing federation to specific hosts can be disabled by sending malicious invites17Monitor
- Later →CVE-2023-32683Jun 6, 2023 · URL deny list bypass via oEmbed and image URLs when generating previews in Synapse21Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| matrix-org synapse | 1.85.0 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
| debian:matrix-synapse | 1.90.0-1 · Debian:14 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:matrix-synapse | 1.85.2-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| PyPI:matrix-synapse | 1.85.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- low · data can be read
- Integrity
- low · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- Low
- Integrity impact
- Low
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-287 · Improper AuthenticationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
nvd-primary
Root cause
Authentication is added route by route instead of being enforced in one place. When a route added later bypasses the shared middleware, the session check never runs for it.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-287 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
app.use("/admin", requireSession, adminRouter);
// Route added later skips the middleware
app.post("/admin-api/config", updateConfig);Fixed
const admin = express.Router();
admin.use(requireSession, requireRole("admin"));
admin.post("/config", updateConfig);
app.use("/admin", admin);Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Authentication AbuseCAPEC-114Medium
- Authentication BypassCAPEC-115Medium
- Identity SpoofingCAPEC-151likelihood: Medium · Medium
- Fake the Source of DataCAPEC-194Medium
- Exploiting Trust in ClientCAPEC-22likelihood: High · High
- Utilizing REST's Trust in the System Resource to Obtain Sensitive DataCAPEC-57likelihood: Medium · Very High
- Session HijackingCAPEC-593likelihood: High · Very High
- Token ImpersonationCAPEC-633Medium
ATT&CK techniques
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (6 more)Show less
- github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/15634
- github.com/matrix-org/synapse/security/advisories/GHSA-26c5-ppr8-f33p
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/X6DH5A5YEB5LRIPP32OUW25FCGZFCZU2/
- matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#create-or-modify-account
- matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/jwt.html
- matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#password_config
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.