CVE-2023-27481 Extract password hashes through export querying in directus
Users with read access to password fields can extract argon2 hashes via export filtering, requiring upgrade or permission changes.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-27481?
CVE-2023-27481 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Monospace Directus, published on 7 Mar 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. In versions prior to 9.16.0 users with read access to the `password` field in `directus_users` can extract the argon2 password hashes by brute forcing the export functionality combined with a `_starts_with` filter. This allows the user to enumerate the password hashes. Accounts cannot be taken over unless the hashes can be reversed which is unlikely with current hardware. This problem has been patched by preventing any hashed/concealed field to be filtered against with the `_starts_with` or other string operator in version 9.16.0. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may mitigate this issue by ensuring that no user has `read` access to the `password` field in `directus_users`.
Weakness: CWE-200
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-27481?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including directus. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
directus npm | All versions | 9.16.0 |
directus npm | All versions | 9.16.0 |
Products include Monospace Directus.
How do I fix CVE-2023-27481?
Upgrade directus to 9.16.0 or later.
Is CVE-2023-27481 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-27481 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Monospace Directus
- CVE-2022-26969 Insecure default value for CORS configuration
- CVE-2025-55746 Directus allows unauthenticated file upload and file modification due to lacking input sanitization
- CVE-2026-35408 Directus is Missing Cross-Origin Opener Policy
- CVE-2026-61836 Directus: Authorization-dependent response served from unsegmented cache key
- CVE-2025-30353 Directus's webhook trigger flows can leak sensitive data
Sources
Also known as GHSA-m5q3-8wgf-x8xf.