# CVE-2023-31138: DHIS2 Core vulnerable to Improper Access Control with PATCH requests

> Authenticated users with write access can modify unauthorized related objects via PATCH requests in DHIS2 Core.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L`)
- **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:** 9 May 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pwvw-4m67-f4g2

## What is CVE-2023-31138?

CVE-2023-31138 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in dhis2-core, published on 9 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

DHIS2 Core contains the service layer and Web API for DHIS2, an information system for data capture. Starting in the 2.36 branch and prior to versions 2.37.9.1, 2.38.3.1, and 2.39.1.2, using object model traversal in the payload of a PATCH request, authenticated users with write access to an object may be able to modify related objects that they should not have access to. DHIS2 implementers should upgrade to a supported version of DHIS2 to receive a patch: 2.37.9.1, 2.38.3.1, or 2.39.1.2. It is possible to work around this issue by blocking all PATCH requests on a reverse proxy, but this may cause some issues with the functionality of built-in applications using legacy PATCH requests.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-31138?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dhis2 Dhis 2.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-31138?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-31138 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-31138 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-31138 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in dhis2-core

- [CVE-2022-24848](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24848/): SQL Injection in DHIS2's in OrgUnit program association (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-39179](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39179/): SQL Injection in DHIS2 Tracker API (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-32704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32704/): Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') in dhis2-core (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2021-41187](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41187/): SQL Injection in DHIS2 Tracker API (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2022-41948](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41948/): Privilege Chaining with the user admin role in dhis2-core (medium 6.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-31138 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-31138 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in dhis2-core, published on 9 May 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-2023-31138 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: dhis2-core. 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-2023-31138/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31138/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-31138
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-31138
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-31138

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31138/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.