CVE-2023-27474
HTML Injection in Password Reset email to custom Reset URL in directus
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL. An attacker could exploit this to email users urls to the servers domain but which may contain malicious code. The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may disable the custom reset URL allow list as a workaround.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.0
HTML Injection in Password Reset email to custom Reset URL in directus
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL. An attacker could exploit this to email users urls to the servers domain but which may contain malicious code. The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may disable the custom reset URL allow list as a workaround.
- Record
CVE-2023-27474- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0866
8.0
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL. An attacker could exploit this to email users urls to the servers domain but which may contain malicious code. The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may disable the custom reset URL allow list as a workaround.
- Record
EUVD-2023-0866- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-4hmq-ggrm-qfc6
7.5
directus vulnerable to HTML Injection in Password Reset email to custom Reset URL
Impact
Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL.
Patches
The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list.
Workarounds
Disable the custom reset URL allow list.
- Record
GHSA-4hmq-ggrm-qfc6- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.0
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL. An attacker could exploit this to email users urls to the servers domain but which may contain malicious code. The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may disable the custom reset URL allow list as a workaround.
- Record
CVE-2023-27474- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.4 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.0
HTML Injection in Password Reset email to custom Reset URL in directus
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL. An attacker could exploit this to email users urls to the servers domain but which may contain malicious code. The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may disable the custom reset URL allow list as a workaround.
- Record
CVE-2023-27474- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-4hmq-ggrm-qfc6
7.5
directus vulnerable to HTML Injection in Password Reset email to custom Reset URL
Impact
Instances relying on an allow-listed reset URL are vulnerable to an HTML injection attack through the use of query parameters in the reset URL.
Patches
The problem has been resolved and released under version 9.23.0. People relying on a custom password reset URL should upgrade to 9.23.0 or later, or remove the custom reset url from the configured allow list.
Workarounds
Disable the custom reset URL allow list.
- Record
GHSA-4hmq-ggrm-qfc6- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
directusnpm |
before 9.23.0 | 9.23.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-27474 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.0) in Directus, published March 6, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.53%, the 45th percentile. Fixed in directus 9.23.0.
References
github.com/directus/directus/security/advisories/GHSA-4hmq-ggrm-qfc6
github.com/directus/directus/issues/17119
github.com/directus/directus/pull/17120
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27474
github.com/advisories/GHSA-4hmq-ggrm-qfc6
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/27xxx/CVE-2023-27474.json
github.com/directus/directus