# CVE-2023-45725: Apache CouchDB, IBM Cloudant: Privilege Escalation Using _design Documents

> Attackers can steal session cookies from design document functions, potentially leading to account takeover if they can insert malicious documents.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-couchdb-2023-45725, GHSA-rmfx-8gmj-c39q, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-45725

## What is CVE-2023-45725?

CVE-2023-45725 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache CouchDB, published on 13 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Design document functions which receive a user http request object may expose authorization or session cookie headers of the user who accesses the document.

These design document functions are:
  *    list
  *    show
  *    rewrite
  *    update

An attacker can leak the session component using an HTML-like output, insert the session as an external resource (such as an image), or store the credential in a _local document with an "update" function.

For the attack to succeed the attacker has to be able to insert the design documents into the database, then manipulate a user to access a function from that design document.

Workaround: Avoid using design documents from untrusted sources which may attempt to access or manipulate request object's headers

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-45725?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including couchdb. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `couchdb` | Bitnami | All versions | 3.3.3 |

Products: Apache Couchdb.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-45725?

Upgrade couchdb to 3.3.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2023-45725 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-45725 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache CouchDB

- [CVE-2022-24706](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24706/): Apache CouchDB Insecure Default Initialization of Resource (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-1955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1955/): Auth bypass in Apache CouchDB (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-12635](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12635/): Privilege escalation in Apache CouchDB (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-14889](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14889/): Code injection in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-8742](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8742/): Privilege escalation in Apache CouchDB (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-45725 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-45725 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache CouchDB, published on 13 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-45725 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- couchdb (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 3.3.3

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-2023-45725/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45725/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-45725
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-45725
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-45725

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45725/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.