# CVE-2023-2173: BadgeOS <= 3.7.1.6 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Insecure Direct Object Reference to Arbitrary Post Deletion

> Authenticated subscribers can delete arbitrary posts in BadgeOS due to missing authorization checks in AJAX handlers.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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:** 31 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7rxj-pgv6-6f7v

## What is CVE-2023-2173?

CVE-2023-2173 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in learningtimes BadgeOS, published on 31 Aug 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The BadgeOS plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference in versions up to, and including, 3.7.1.6. This is due to improper validation and authorization checks within the badgeos_delete_step_ajax_handler, badgeos_delete_award_step_ajax_handler, badgeos_delete_deduct_step_ajax_handler, and badgeos_delete_rank_req_step_ajax_handler functions. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level permissions and above, to delete arbitrary posts.

Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-2173?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Badgeos Badgeos.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-2173?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-2173 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-2173 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in learningtimes BadgeOS

- [CVE-2022-0817](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0817/): BadgeOS <= 3.7.0 - Unauthenticated SQLi (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-41987](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41987/): WordPress BadgeOS Plugin <= 3.7.1.6 is vulnerable to Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2023-2171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2171/): BadgeOS <= 3.7.1.6 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2023-2172](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2172/): BadgeOS <= 3.7.1.6 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Insecure Direct Object Reference to Arbitrary Post Title Overwrite (medium 4.3)
- [CVE-2023-2174](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2174/): BadgeOS <= 3.7.1.6 - Missing Authorization in delete_badgeos_log_entries (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-2173 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-2173 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in learningtimes BadgeOS, published on 31 Aug 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: learningtimes BadgeOS. 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-2023-2173/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2173/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-2173
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2173
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-2173

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2173/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.