# CVE-2023-26248: Content Censorship in the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) via Kademlia DHT abuse

> Attackers can censor IPFS content by hijacking resolution via Sybil peers in the Kademlia DHT, affecting IPFS users and developers.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mqr9-hjr8-2m9w, GO-2024-3218

## What is CVE-2023-26248?

CVE-2023-26248 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Oct 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Kademlia DHT (go-libp2p-kad-dht 0.20.0 and earlier) used in IPFS (0.18.1 and earlier) assigns routing information for content (i.e., information about who holds the content) to be stored by peers whose peer IDs have a small DHT distance from the content ID. This allows an attacker to censor content by generating many Sybil peers whose peer IDs have a small distance from the content ID, thus hijacking the content resolution process.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-26248?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht` | Go | All versions | None |
| `github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht` | Go | All versions to 0.20.0 | None |
| `github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht` | Go | All versions to 0.20.0 | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2023-26248?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-26248 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-26248 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-26248 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-26248 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Oct 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-26248 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed
- github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht (Go): affected all versions up to 0.20.0; no fix listed
- github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-kad-dht (Go): affected all versions up to 0.20.0; no fix listed

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-2023-26248/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26248/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-26248
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-26248
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-26248

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26248/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.