CVE-2023-38489
Kirby vulnerable to Insufficient Session Expiration after a password change
Kirby is a content management system. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6 affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config). It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization. In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device even if the logged in user has since changed their password. Kirby did not invalidate user sessions that were created with a password that was since changed by the user or by a site admin. If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6. In all of the mentioned releases, the maintainers have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the hashed password in each active session. If the password changed since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.3
Kirby vulnerable to Insufficient Session Expiration after a password change
Kirby is a content management system. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6 affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config). It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization. In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device even if the logged in user has since changed their password. Kirby did not invalidate user sessions that were created with a password that was since changed by the user or by a site admin. If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6. In all of the mentioned releases, the maintainers have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the hashed password in each active session. If the password changed since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
- Record
CVE-2023-38489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-1969
7.3
Kirby is a content management system. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6 affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config). It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization. In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device even if the logged in user has since changed their password. Kirby did not invalidate user sessions that were created with a password that was since changed by the user or by a site admin. If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6. In all of the mentioned releases, the maintainers have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the hashed password in each active session. If the password changed since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
- Record
EUVD-2023-1969- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-5mvj-rvp8-rf45
7.3
Insufficient Session Expiration after a password change
TL;DR
This vulnerability affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config).
It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Introduction
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization.
In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device or browser even if the logged in user has since changed their password.
Impact
Kirby did not invalidate old user sessions after the user password was changed by the user or by a site admin.
If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
Patches
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, Kirby 3.6.6.3, Kirby 3.7.5.2, Kirby 3.8.4.1 and Kirby 3.9.6. Please update to one of these or a later version to fix the vulnerability.
In all of the mentioned releases, we have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the last time the password was changed. If a new password was set since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
Credits
Thanks to Shankar Acharya (@5hank4r) for responsibly reporting the identified issue.
- Record
GHSA-5mvj-rvp8-rf45- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.3
Kirby is a content management system. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6 affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config). It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization. In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device even if the logged in user has since changed their password. Kirby did not invalidate user sessions that were created with a password that was since changed by the user or by a site admin. If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6. In all of the mentioned releases, the maintainers have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the hashed password in each active session. If the password changed since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
- Record
CVE-2023-38489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.3
Kirby vulnerable to Insufficient Session Expiration after a password change
Kirby is a content management system. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6 affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config). It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization. In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device even if the logged in user has since changed their password. Kirby did not invalidate user sessions that were created with a password that was since changed by the user or by a site admin. If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, 3.6.6.3, 3.7.5.2, 3.8.4.1, and 3.9.6. In all of the mentioned releases, the maintainers have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the hashed password in each active session. If the password changed since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
- Record
CVE-2023-38489- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-5mvj-rvp8-rf45
7.3
Insufficient Session Expiration after a password change
TL;DR
This vulnerability affects all Kirby sites with user accounts (unless Kirby's API and Panel are disabled in the config).
It can only be abused if a Kirby user is logged in on a device or browser that is shared with potentially untrusted users or if an attacker already maliciously used a previous password to log in to a Kirby site as the affected user.
Introduction
Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization.
In the variation described in this advisory, it allows attackers to stay logged in to a Kirby site on another device or browser even if the logged in user has since changed their password.
Impact
Kirby did not invalidate old user sessions after the user password was changed by the user or by a site admin.
If a user changed their password to lock out an attacker who was already in possession of the previous password or of a login session on another device or browser, the attacker would not be reliably prevented from accessing the Kirby site as the affected user.
Patches
The problem has been patched in Kirby 3.5.8.3, Kirby 3.6.6.3, Kirby 3.7.5.2, Kirby 3.8.4.1 and Kirby 3.9.6. Please update to one of these or a later version to fix the vulnerability.
In all of the mentioned releases, we have updated the authentication implementation to keep track of the last time the password was changed. If a new password was set since the login, the session is invalidated. To enforce this fix even if the vulnerability was previously abused, all users are logged out from the Kirby site after updating to one of the patched releases.
Credits
Thanks to Shankar Acharya (@5hank4r) for responsibly reporting the identified issue.
- Record
GHSA-5mvj-rvp8-rf45- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-613
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
before 3.5.8.3 | 3.5.8.3 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.6.0 up to 3.6.6.3 | 3.6.6.3 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.7.0 up to 3.7.5.2 | 3.7.5.2 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.8.0 up to 3.8.4.1 | 3.8.4.1 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.9.0 up to 3.9.6 | 3.9.6 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
before 3.5.8.3, plus listed versions 3.0.03.0.13.0.1-rc.13.0.23.0.2-rc.1 Show 45 moreShow less3.0.33.0.3-rc.13.0.3-rc.23.0.3-rc.33.1.03.1.0-rc.13.1.13.1.23.1.2-rc.13.1.33.1.3-rc.13.1.43.1.4-rc.13.2.03.2.0-rc.13.2.0-rc.23.2.0-rc.33.2.0-rc.43.2.13.2.1-rc.13.2.23.2.33.2.3-rc.13.2.43.2.4-rc.13.2.53.2.5-rc.13.2.5-rc.23.3.03.3.0-rc.13.3.0-rc.23.3.0-rc.33.3.0-rc.43.3.0-rc.53.3.13.3.1-rc.13.3.23.3.2-rc.13.3.33.3.3-rc.13.3.43.3.4-rc.13.3.53.3.5-rc.13.3.6 |
3.5.8.3 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.6.0 up to 3.6.6.3, plus listed versions 3.6.13.6.1.13.6.23.6.2-rc.13.6.2-rc.2 Show 13 moreShow less3.6.2-rc.33.6.33.6.3-rc.13.6.3-rc.23.6.3.13.6.43.6.4-rc.13.6.53.6.5-rc.13.6.63.6.6-rc.13.6.6.13.6.6.2 |
3.6.6.3 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.7.0 up to 3.7.5.2, plus listed versions 3.7.0.13.7.0.23.7.13.7.1-rc.13.7.2 Show 8 moreShow less3.7.2-rc.13.7.2.13.7.33.7.3-rc.13.7.43.7.4-rc.13.7.53.7.5.1 |
3.7.5.2 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.8.0 up to 3.8.4.1, plus listed versions 3.8.13.8.1-rc.13.8.1.13.8.23.8.2-rc.1 Show 4 moreShow less3.8.33.8.3-rc.13.8.3-rc.23.8.4 |
3.8.4.1 |
getkirby/cmsPackagist |
3.9.0 up to 3.9.6, plus listed versions 3.9.13.9.1-rc.13.9.23.9.2-rc.13.9.3 Show 6 moreShow less3.9.3-rc.13.9.43.9.4-rc.13.9.53.9.5-rc.13.9.6-rc.1 |
3.9.6 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-38489 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.3) in Getkirby Kirby, published July 27, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.81%, the 57th percentile. Fixed in getkirby/cms 3.5.8.3.
References
github.com/getkirby/kirby/security/advisories/GHSA-5mvj-rvp8-rf45
github.com/getkirby/kirby/commit/7a0a2014c69fdb925ea02f30e7793bb50115e931
github.com/getkirby/kirby/releases/tag/3.5.8.3
github.com/getkirby/kirby/releases/tag/3.6.6.3
github.com/getkirby/kirby/releases/tag/3.7.5.2
github.com/getkirby/kirby/releases/tag/3.8.4.1
Left out here: 37 versions. The JSON record has them.