# CVE-2023-20856: Cross-site request forgery in VMware vRealize Operations (vROps)

> A malicious user can execute actions on the vROps platform on behalf of an authenticated victim user via CSRF bypass.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/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:** No
- **Published:** 1 Feb 2023
- **Updated:** 27 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6wr9-hw3v-g6rr

## What is CVE-2023-20856?

CVE-2023-20856 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware vRealize Operations (vROps), published on 1 Feb 2023. 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

VMware vRealize Operations (vROps) contains a CSRF bypass vulnerability. A malicious user could execute actions on the vROps platform on behalf of the authenticated victim user.

Weakness: CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20856?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Vrealize Operations.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20856?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20856 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20856 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20856 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware vRealize Operations (vROps)

- [CVE-2016-7457](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7457/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2020-3943](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3943/): Code injection in vRealize Operations for Horizon Adapter (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-31673](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31673/): Information disclosure in VMware vRealize Operations (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-3944](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3944/): Auth bypass in vRealize Operations for Horizon Adapter (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2016-7462](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7462/): Deserialization in n/a (high 8.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20856 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20856 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware vRealize Operations (vROps), published on 1 Feb 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20856 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VMware vRealize Operations (vROps). 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-2023-20856/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20856/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20856
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20856
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20856

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20856/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.