# CVE-2023-44399: ZITADEL's password reset does not respect the "Ignoring unknown usernames" setting

> Attackers can enumerate valid usernames via password reset flow, bypassing the 'Ignoring unknown usernames' security setting.

- **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:** 10 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 19 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v683-rcxx-vpff

## What is CVE-2023-44399?

CVE-2023-44399 is a medium-severity vulnerability in zitadel, published on 10 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ZITADEL provides identity infrastructure. In versions 2.37.2 and prior, ZITADEL administrators can enable a setting called "Ignoring unknown usernames" which helps mitigate attacks that try to guess/enumerate usernames. While this settings was properly working during the authentication process it did not work correctly on the password reset flow. This meant that even if this feature was active that an attacker could use the password reset function to verify if an account exist within ZITADEL. This bug has been patched in versions 2.37.3 and 2.38.0. No known workarounds are available.

Weakness: CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-44399?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/zitadel/zitadel. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | All versions | 2.37.3 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | All versions | 2.37.3 |

Products: Zitadel Zitadel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-44399?

Upgrade github.com/zitadel/zitadel to 2.37.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2023-44399 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-44399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in zitadel

- [CVE-2026-29191](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-29191/): ZITADEL: 1-Click Account Takeover via XSS in /saml-post Endpoint (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2025-67494](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-67494/): ZITADEL Vulnerable to Unauthenticated Full-Read SSRF via V2 Login (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2025-27507](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27507/): IDOR Vulnerabilities in ZITADEL's Admin API that Primarily Impact LDAP Configurations (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2025-64103](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-64103/): Zitadel Bypass Second Authentication Factor (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2025-31123](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-31123/): Zitadel Expired JWT Keys Usable for Authorization Grants (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-44399 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-44399 is a medium-severity vulnerability in zitadel, published on 10 Oct 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-2023-44399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.37.3
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.37.3

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-2023-44399/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44399/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-44399
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-44399
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-44399

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44399/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.