# CVE-2023-45809: Disclosure of user names via admin bulk action views in wagtail

> Limited-permission editors can retrieve display names of any user via bulk action views, exposing sensitive user information.

- **Severity:** Low 2.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fc75-58r8-rm3h, PYSEC-2023-219

## What is CVE-2023-45809?

CVE-2023-45809 is a low-severity vulnerability in wagtail, published on 19 Oct 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Wagtail is an open source content management system built on Django. A user with a limited-permission editor account for the Wagtail admin can make a direct URL request to the admin view that handles bulk actions on user accounts. While authentication rules prevent the user from making any changes, the error message discloses the display names of user accounts, and by modifying URL parameters, the user can retrieve the display name for any user. The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin. Patched versions have been released as Wagtail 4.1.8 (LTS), 5.0.5 and 5.1.3. The fix is also included in Release Candidate 1 of the forthcoming Wagtail 5.2 release. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-532 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File), CWE-425 (Direct Request), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-45809?

7 open source packages ship an affected version, including wagtail. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | All versions | 4.1.9, 5.0.5, 5.1.3 |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | All versions | 4.1.9 |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | All versions | 4.1.9 |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | From 4.2.0 | 5.0.5 |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | From 4.2.0 | 5.0.5 |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | From 5.1.0 | 5.1.3 |
| `wagtail` | PyPI | From 5.1.0 | 5.1.3 |

Products: Torchbox Wagtail.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-45809?

Upgrade wagtail to a fixed version for your release line: 4.1.9, 5.0.5 or 5.1.3.

## Is CVE-2023-45809 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-45809 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in wagtail

- [CVE-2026-54263](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54263/): Wagtail: Reflected XSS in dynamic image URL generator view (high 7.3)
- [CVE-2026-54261](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54261/): Wagtail: Improper permission handling in image preview (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2026-44197](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44197/): Wagtail: Improper permission handling when comparing revisions (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2026-44199](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44199/): Wagtail: Improper permission handling when deleting form submissions (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2026-44200](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44200/): Wagtail: Improper permission handling when copying pages (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-45809 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-45809 is a low-severity vulnerability in wagtail, published on 19 Oct 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-45809 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- wagtail (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.9, 5.0.5, 5.1.3
- wagtail (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.9
- wagtail (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.9
- wagtail (PyPI): affected from 4.2.0; fixed in 5.0.5
- wagtail (PyPI): affected from 4.2.0; fixed in 5.0.5
- wagtail (PyPI): affected from 5.1.0; fixed in 5.1.3
- wagtail (PyPI): affected from 5.1.0; fixed in 5.1.3

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-2023-45809/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45809/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-45809
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-45809
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-45809

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45809/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.