# CVE-2023-5239: Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk < 2.121 - IP Spoofing

> Attackers can spoof IP addresses via untrusted headers to bypass brute force protection in the CleanTalk WordPress plugin.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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:** 27 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-589p-x4q3-2jh3

## What is CVE-2023-5239?

CVE-2023-5239 is a high-severity vulnerability in Unknown Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk, published on 27 Nov 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk WordPress plugin before 2.121 retrieves client IP addresses from potentially untrusted headers, allowing an attacker to manipulate its value. This may be used to bypass bruteforce protection.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5239?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cleantalk Security \& Malware Scan.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5239?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-5239 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-5239 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5239 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk

- [CVE-2024-13365](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-13365/): Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk <= 2.149 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-36698](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36698/): Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk <= 2.50 - Missing Authorization (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5239 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5239 is a high-severity vulnerability in Unknown Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk, published on 27 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-2023-5239 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk. 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-2023-5239/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5239/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5239
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5239
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5239

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5239/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.