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CVE-2023-45725

Apache CouchDB, IBM Cloudant: Privilege Escalation Using _design Documents

5.7 MediumFix available

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

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
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

1.23%Up 1.2 points since Dec 13, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 5.7

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
CVE-2023-45725
CVSS 3.1
5.7 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

Apache CouchDB, IBM Cloudant: Privilege Escalation Using _design Documents

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
CVE-2023-45725
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-50014 No score

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
EUVD-2023-50014
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-rmfx-8gmj-c39q 5.7

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or...

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
GHSA-rmfx-8gmj-c39q
CVSS 3.1
5.7 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2023-45725 5.7

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document. These design document functions are: *   list *   show *   rewrite *   update An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function. For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document. Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2023-45725
CVSS 3.1
5.7 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-couchdb-2023-45725 No score

Apache CouchDB, IBM Cloudant: Privilege Escalation Using _design Documents

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
BIT-couchdb-2023-45725
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV No score

Apache CouchDB, IBM Cloudant: Privilege Escalation Using _design Documents

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:

  •   list
  •   show
  •   rewrite
  •   update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Record
CVE-2023-45725
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
couchdb
Bitnami
before 3.3.3
3.3.3
couchdb
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
1.6.0-0ubuntu7
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-45725 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.7) in Apache Couchdb, published December 13, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.23%, the 69th percentile. Fixed in couchdb 3.3.3.

References

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