# CVE-2022-41654: ghost vulnerable to unauthorized newsletter modification via improper access controls

> Attackers can bypass authentication in the newsletter subscription feature to gain increased privileges on the Ghost blog platform.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 14 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** BIT-ghost-2022-41654, GHSA-9gh8-wp53-ccc6

## What is CVE-2022-41654?

CVE-2022-41654 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Ghost, published on 23 Dec 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An authentication bypass vulnerability exists in the newsletter subscription functionality of Ghost Foundation Ghost 5.9.4. A specially-crafted HTTP request can lead to increased privileges. An attacker can send an HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-41654?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including ghost. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ghost` | Bitnami | From 4.46.0 | 4.48.8, 5.22.7 |
| `ghost` | npm | From 4.46.0 | 4.48.8 |
| `ghost` | npm | From 4.46.0 | 4.48.8 |
| `ghost` | npm | From 5.0.0 | 5.22.7 |
| `ghost` | npm | From 5.0.0 | 5.22.7 |

Products: Ghost Ghost.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-41654?

Upgrade ghost to a fixed version for your release line: 4.48.8 or 5.22.7.

## Is CVE-2022-41654 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-41654 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ghost

- [CVE-2022-27139](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-27139/): Arbitrary file upload in Ghost (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-28397](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28397/): Arbitrary file upload in Ghost (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-26980](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26980/): Ghost has a SQL Injection in its Content API (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2024-34451](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-34451/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2024-23724](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23724/): Ghost has possible Cross-site Scripting issue (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-41654 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-41654 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Ghost, published on 23 Dec 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-41654 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- ghost (Bitnami): affected from 4.46.0; fixed in 4.48.8, 5.22.7
- ghost (npm): affected from 4.46.0; fixed in 4.48.8
- ghost (npm): affected from 4.46.0; fixed in 4.48.8
- ghost (npm): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.22.7
- ghost (npm): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.22.7

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41654/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41654/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-41654
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41654
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-41654

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41654/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.