Skip to content

matrix-synapse vulnerable to temporary storage of plaintext passwords during password changes

Low severity GitHub Reviewed Published Sep 26, 2023 in matrix-org/synapse • Updated Jan 8, 2024

Package

pip matrix-synapse (pip)

Affected versions

>= 1.66.0, < 1.93.0

Patched versions

1.93.0

Description

Impact

When users update their passwords, the new credentials may be briefly held in the server database. While this doesn't grant the server any added capabilities—it already learns the users' passwords as part of the authentication process—it does disrupt the expectation that passwords won't be stored in the database. As a result, these passwords could inadvertently be captured in database backups for a longer duration.

These temporarily stored passwords are automatically erased after a 48-hour window.

Patches

matrix-org/synapse#16272

References

This bug was due to a regression in matrix-org/synapse#13188.

References

@erikjohnston erikjohnston published to matrix-org/synapse Sep 26, 2023
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Sep 26, 2023
Reviewed Sep 26, 2023
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Sep 27, 2023
Last updated Jan 8, 2024

Severity

Low

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
High
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS score

0.066%
(30th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2023-41335

GHSA ID

GHSA-4f74-84v3-j9q5

Source code

Loading Checking history
See something to contribute? Suggest improvements for this vulnerability.