# CVE-2023-38949: Auth bypass in n/a

> Unauthenticated attackers can reset the Administrator password in ZKTeco BioTime via a hidden API, leading to full system compromise.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 9 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4m8x-4g54-h49v

## What is CVE-2023-38949?

CVE-2023-38949 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 3 Aug 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue in a hidden API in ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5 allows unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily reset the Administrator password via a crafted web request.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38949?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zkteco Biotime.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38949?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38949 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38949 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38949 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-38950](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38950/): ZKTeco BioTime Path Traversal (high 7.5, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-38951](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38951/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-51142](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51142/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-38952](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38952/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-13966](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-13966/): ZKTeco BioTime default password (medium 6.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38949 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38949 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 3 Aug 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38949 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2023-38949/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38949/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38949
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38949
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38949

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38949/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.