# CVE-2023-39522: Username enumeration attack in goauthentik

> Attackers can enumerate valid usernames via the recovery flow, revealing user existence in goauthentik Identity Provider deployments.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 1 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-authentik-2023-39522, GHSA-vmf9-6pcv-xr87

## What is CVE-2023-39522?

CVE-2023-39522 is a medium-severity vulnerability in goauthentik authentik, published on 29 Aug 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

goauthentik is an open-source Identity Provider. In affected versions using a recovery flow with an identification stage an attacker is able to determine if a username exists. Only setups configured with a recovery flow are impacted by this. Anyone with a user account on a system with the recovery flow described above is susceptible to having their username/email revealed as existing. An attacker can easily enumerate and check users' existence using the recovery flow, as a clear message is shown when a user doesn't exist. Depending on configuration this can either be done by username, email, or both. This issue has been addressed in versions 2023.5.6 and 2023.6.2. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.

Weakness: CWE-203 (Observable Discrepancy)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-39522?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including @goauthentik/api and authentik. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `@goauthentik/api` | npm | All versions | 2023.5.6 |
| `@goauthentik/api` | npm | All versions | 2023.5.6 |
| `@goauthentik/api` | npm | From 2023.6.0 | 2023.6.2 |
| `@goauthentik/api` | npm | From 2023.6.0 | 2023.6.2 |
| `authentik` | Bitnami | All versions | 2023.5.6, 2023.6.2 |

Products: Goauthentik Authentik.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-39522?

Upgrade @goauthentik/api to a fixed version for your release line: 2023.5.6 or 2023.6.2.

## Is CVE-2023-39522 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-39522 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in goauthentik authentik

- [CVE-2026-49448](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49448/): authentik: SourceStage bypass via empty POST (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-46249](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-46249/): authentik potential installation takeover when default admin user is deleted (critical 9.7)
- [CVE-2022-23555](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23555/): authentik vulnerable to Improper Authentication via invitation URL token reuse (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-42849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42849/): authentik: Reflected XSS in SFE AutosubmitStage allows IDP account takeover (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-25227](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25227/): authentik affected by Remote Code Execution via Context Key Injection in PropertyMapping Test Endpoint (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-39522 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-39522 is a medium-severity vulnerability in goauthentik authentik, published on 29 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-2023-39522 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- @goauthentik/api (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 2023.5.6
- @goauthentik/api (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 2023.5.6
- @goauthentik/api (npm): affected from 2023.6.0; fixed in 2023.6.2
- @goauthentik/api (npm): affected from 2023.6.0; fixed in 2023.6.2
- authentik (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 2023.5.6, 2023.6.2

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-2023-39522/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39522/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-39522
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-39522
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-39522

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-39522/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.