# CVE-2023-26268: Apache CouchDB, IBM Cloudant: Information sharing via couchjs processes

> Attackers can read sensitive data from other databases by exploiting shared mutable JavaScript environments in CouchDB design documents.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 May 2023
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-couchdb-2023-26268, GHSA-97qc-h8j3-mgv9, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-26268

## What is CVE-2023-26268?

CVE-2023-26268 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache CouchDB, published on 2 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Design documents with matching document IDs, from databases on the same cluster, may share a mutable Javascript environment when using these design document functions:
  *  validate_doc_update

  *  list

  *  filter

  *  filter views (using view functions as filters)

  *  rewrite

  *  update

This doesn't affect map/reduce or search (Dreyfus) index functions.

Users are recommended to upgrade to a version that is no longer affected by this issue (Apache CouchDB 3.3.2 or 3.2.3).

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to cache or store data in the Javascript environment.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-26268?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including couchdb. It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `couchdb` | Bitnami | All versions | 3.2.3, 3.3.2 |

Products: Apache Couchdb, Ibm Cloudant.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-26268?

Upgrade couchdb to a fixed version for your release line: 3.2.3 or 3.3.2.

## Is CVE-2023-26268 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-26268 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache CouchDB

- [CVE-2022-24706](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24706/): Apache CouchDB Insecure Default Initialization of Resource (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-1955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1955/): Auth bypass in Apache CouchDB (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-12635](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12635/): Privilege escalation in Apache CouchDB (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-14889](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14889/): Code injection in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-8742](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8742/): Privilege escalation in Apache CouchDB (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-26268 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-26268 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache CouchDB, published on 2 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-26268 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- couchdb (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 3.2.3, 3.3.2

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-2023-26268/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26268/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-26268
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-26268
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-26268

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26268/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.