# 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.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 25 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m5q3-8wgf-x8xf

## 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 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-27481?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including directus. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `directus` | npm | All versions | 9.16.0 |
| `directus` | npm | All versions | 9.16.0 |

Products: 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](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26969/): Insecure default value for CORS configuration (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-55746](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-55746/): Directus allows unauthenticated file upload and file modification due to lacking input sanitization (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-35408](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35408/): Directus is Missing Cross-Origin Opener Policy (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2026-61836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-61836/): Directus: Authorization-dependent response served from unsegmented cache key (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2025-30353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-30353/): Directus's webhook trigger flows can leak sensitive data (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-27481 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-27481 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- directus (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 9.16.0
- directus (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 9.16.0

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-2023-27481/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27481/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-27481
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27481
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-27481

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27481/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.