CVE-2023-33972
Privilege escalation from having CREATE access on a keyspace in Scylladb
Scylladb is a NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra. Authenticated users who are authorized to create tables in a keyspace can escalate their privileges to access a table in the same keyspace, even if they don't have permissions for that table. This issue has not yet been patched. A workaround to address this issue is to disable CREATE privileges on a keyspace, and create new tables on behalf of other users.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Privilege escalation from having CREATE access on a keyspace in Scylladb
Scylladb is a NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra. Authenticated users who are authorized to create tables in a keyspace can escalate their privileges to access a table in the same keyspace, even if they don't have permissions for that table. This issue has not yet been patched. A workaround to address this issue is to disable CREATE privileges on a keyspace, and create new tables on behalf of other users.
- Record
CVE-2023-33972- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-38098
Scylladb is a NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra. Authenticated users who are authorized to create tables in a keyspace can escalate their privileges to access a table in the same keyspace, even if they don't have permissions for that table. This issue has not yet been patched. A workaround to address this issue is to disable CREATE privileges on a keyspace, and create new tables on behalf of other users.
- Record
EUVD-2023-38098- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
NVD
Scylladb is a NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra. Authenticated users who are authorized to create tables in a keyspace can escalate their privileges to access a table in the same keyspace, even if they don't have permissions for that table. This issue has not yet been patched. A workaround to address this issue is to disable CREATE privileges on a keyspace, and create new tables on behalf of other users.
- Record
CVE-2023-33972- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Privilege escalation from having CREATE access on a keyspace in Scylladb
Scylladb is a NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra. Authenticated users who are authorized to create tables in a keyspace can escalate their privileges to access a table in the same keyspace, even if they don't have permissions for that table. This issue has not yet been patched. A workaround to address this issue is to disable CREATE privileges on a keyspace, and create new tables on behalf of other users.
- Record
CVE-2023-33972- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-scylladb-2023-33972 No score
Privilege escalation from having CREATE access on a keyspace in Scylladb
Scylladb is a NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra. Authenticated users who are authorized to create tables in a keyspace can escalate their privileges to access a table in the same keyspace, even if they don't have permissions for that table. This issue has not yet been patched. A workaround to address this issue is to disable CREATE privileges on a keyspace, and create new tables on behalf of other users.
- Record
BIT-scylladb-2023-33972- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
scylladbBitnami |
before 5.2.9 | 5.2.9 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-33972 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.2) in Scylladb, published September 27, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.64%, the 50th percentile. Fixed in scylladb 5.2.9.