# CVE-2023-5089: Defender Security < 4.1.0 - Protection Bypass (Hidden Login Page)

> Attackers can bypass the hidden login page feature in Defender Security plugin, exposing the login interface to unauthenticated users.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j6r3-vq2c-4ghw

## What is CVE-2023-5089?

CVE-2023-5089 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Unknown Defender Security, published on 16 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Defender Security WordPress plugin before 4.1.0 does not prevent redirects to the login page via the auth_redirect WordPress function, allowing an unauthenticated visitor to access the login page, even when the hide login page functionality of the plugin is enabled.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5089?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wpmudev Defender Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5089?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-5089 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-5089 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-5089 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Defender Security < 4.1.0 - Protection Bypass (Hidden Login Page) (github_poc): https://github.com/Cappricio-Securities/CVE-2023-5089
- Defender Security < 4.1.0 - Protection Bypass (Hidden Login Page) (nuclei): http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-5089.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Defender Security

- [CVE-2023-51490](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51490/): WordPress Defender Security Plugin <= 4.1.0 is vulnerable to Sensitive Data Exposure (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2021-4425](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4425/): Defender Security <= 2.4.6 - Cross-Site Request Forgery Bypass (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5089 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5089 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Unknown Defender Security, published on 16 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-5089 exists.

Affected product: Unknown Defender Security. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2023-5089/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5089/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5089
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5089
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5089

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5089/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.