# CVE-2023-33243: Auth bypass in n/a

> Attackers can authenticate using stolen password hashes instead of cleartext passwords, bypassing security controls and gaining unauthorized access to the system.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 12 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qwxx-8r35-m4qm

## What is CVE-2023-33243?

CVE-2023-33243 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Jun 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

RedTeam Pentesting discovered that the web interface of STARFACE as well as its REST API allows authentication using the SHA512 hash of the password instead of the cleartext password. While storing password hashes instead of cleartext passwords in an application's database generally has become best practice to protect users' passwords in case of a database compromise, this is rendered ineffective when allowing to authenticate using the password hash.

Weakness: CWE-916 (Use of Password Hash With Insufficient Computational Effort)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-33243?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Starface Starface.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-33243?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-33243 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-33243 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-33243 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PoC for login with password hash in STARFACE (github_poc): https://github.com/RedTeamPentesting/CVE-2023-33243
- STARFACE 7.3.0.10 - Authentication with Password Hash Possible (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-33243 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-33243 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Jun 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-33243 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2023-33243/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33243/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-33243
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-33243
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-33243

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33243/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.