# CVE-2023-1524: Download Manager < 3.2.71 - Broken Access Controls

> Attackers can bypass password protection to download any protected file on the server by exploiting a master key vulnerability in the Download Manager plugin.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 May 2023
- **Updated:** 10 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mxx9-mm8m-9wm6

## What is CVE-2023-1524?

CVE-2023-1524 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Unknown Download Manager, published on 30 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Download Manager WordPress plugin before 3.2.71 does not adequately validate passwords for password-protected files. Upon validation, a master key is generated and exposed to the user, which may be used to download any password-protected file on the server, allowing a user to download any file with the knowledge of any one file's password.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-1524?

It affects 1 product.


Products: W3eden Download Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-1524?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-1524 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-1524 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-1524 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Download Manager

- [CVE-2022-2436](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2436/): Download Manager <= 3.2.49 - Authenticated (Contributor+) PHAR Deserialization (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-25069](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25069/): WordPress Download Manager < 3.2.34 - Authenticated SQL Injection to Reflected XSS (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2014-9260](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9260/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-2431](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2431/): Download Manager <= 3.2.50 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Arbitrary File Deletion (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-2098](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-2098/): Download Manager <= 3.2.89 - Improper Authorization via protectMediaLibrary (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-1524 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-1524 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Unknown Download Manager, published on 30 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-1524 exists.

Affected product: Unknown Download Manager. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2023-1524/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1524/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-1524
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1524
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-1524

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1524/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.