# CVE-2023-49097: ZITADEL vulnerable account takeover via malicious host header injection

> Attackers can hijack password reset links via host header injection to steal codes and take over user accounts without MFA.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 27 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2wmj-46rj-qm2w

## What is CVE-2023-49097?

CVE-2023-49097 is a high-severity vulnerability in zitadel, published on 30 Nov 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

ZITADEL is an identity infrastructure system. ZITADEL uses the notification triggering requests Forwarded or X-Forwarded-Host header to build the button link sent in emails for confirming a password reset with the emailed code. If this header is overwritten and a user clicks the link to a malicious site in the email, the secret code can be retrieved and used to reset the users password and take over his account. Accounts with MFA or Passwordless enabled can not be taken over by this attack. This issue has been patched in versions 2.41.6, 2.40.10 and 2.39.9.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-49097?

6 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 | From 2.39.0 | 2.39.9 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.39.0 | 2.39.9 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.40.0 | 2.40.10 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.40.0 | 2.40.10 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.41.0 | 2.41.6 |
| `github.com/zitadel/zitadel` | Go | From 2.41.0 | 2.41.6 |

Products: Zitadel Zitadel.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-49097?

Upgrade github.com/zitadel/zitadel to a fixed version for your release line: 2.39.9, 2.40.10 or 2.41.6.

## Is CVE-2023-49097 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-49097 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-2023-49097 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-49097 is a high-severity vulnerability in zitadel, published on 30 Nov 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-49097 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.39.0; fixed in 2.39.9
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.39.0; fixed in 2.39.9
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.40.0; fixed in 2.40.10
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.40.0; fixed in 2.40.10
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.41.0; fixed in 2.41.6
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): affected from 2.41.0; fixed in 2.41.6

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-2023-49097/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49097/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-49097
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-49097
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-49097

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49097/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.