# CVE-2023-47111: ZITADEL race condition in lockout policy execution

> Attackers can bypass lockout policies by executing parallel password checks, allowing more attempts than configured.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 12 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7h8m-vrxx-vr4m

## What is CVE-2023-47111?

CVE-2023-47111 is a high-severity vulnerability in zitadel, published on 8 Nov 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ZITADEL provides identity infrastructure. ZITADEL provides administrators the possibility to define a `Lockout Policy` with a maximum amount of failed password check attempts. On every failed password check, the amount of failed checks is compared against the configured maximum. Exceeding the limit, will lock the user and prevent further authentication. In the affected implementation it was possible for an attacker to start multiple parallel password checks, giving him the possibility to try out more combinations than configured in the `Lockout Policy`. This vulnerability has been patched in versions 2.40.5 and 2.38.3.

Weakness: CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-47111?

4 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 | 2.38.3 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | All versions | 2.38.3 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.39.0 | 2.40.5 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.39.0 | 2.40.5 |

Products: Zitadel Zitadel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-47111?

Upgrade github.com/zitadel/zitadel to a fixed version for your release line: 2.38.3 or 2.40.5.

## Is CVE-2023-47111 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-47111 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-2023-47111 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-47111 is a high-severity vulnerability in zitadel, published on 8 Nov 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-2023-47111 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.38.3
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.38.3
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.39.0; fixed in 2.40.5
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.39.0; fixed in 2.40.5

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-2023-47111/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-47111/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-47111
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-47111
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-47111

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-47111/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.