# CVE-2023-38123: Auth bypass in Ignition

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication to access password change functionality in Ignition OPC UA Quick Client, potentially escalating privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 May 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qmh2-7rwj-4vp8

## What is CVE-2023-38123?

CVE-2023-38123 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Inductive Automation Ignition, published on 3 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Inductive Automation Ignition OPC UA Quick Client Missing Authentication for Critical Function Authentication Bypass Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of Inductive Automation Ignition. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the server configuration. The issue results from the lack of authentication prior to allowing access to password change functionality. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to bypass authentication on the system. Was ZDI-CAN-20540.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38123?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Inductiveautomation Ignition.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38123?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38123 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38123 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38123 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Inductive Automation Ignition

- [CVE-2023-39475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39475/): Deserialization in Ignition (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-39476](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39476/): Deserialization in Ignition (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-35890](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-35890/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-39473](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39473/): Deserialization in Ignition (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-50218](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50218/): Inductive Automation Ignition ModuleInvoke Deserialization of Untrusted Data Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38123 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38123 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Inductive Automation Ignition, published on 3 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38123 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Inductive Automation Ignition. 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-2023-38123/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38123/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38123
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38123
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38123

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38123/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.