# GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w: TYPO3 Security Misconfiguration for Backend User Accounts

> TYPO3 backend allows creating user accounts with empty or weak credentials due to form reload logic, potentially enabling authentication bypass in custom implementations.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 May 2024

## What is GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w?

GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w is a vulnerability in typo3/cms-core, published on 30 May 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

When using the TYPO3 backend in order to create new backend user accounts, database records containing insecure or empty credentials might be persisted. When the type of user account is changed - which might be entity type or the admin flag for backend users - the backend form is reloaded in order to reflect changed configuration possibilities. However,  this leads to persisting the current state as well, which can result into some of the following:

- account contains empty login credentials (username and/or password)
- account is incomplete and contains weak credentials (username and/or password)

Albeit the functionality provided by the TYPO3 core cannot be used either with empty usernames or empty passwords, it still can be a severe vulnerability to custom authentication service implementations.

This weakness cannot be directly exploited and requires interaction on purpose by some backend user having according privileges.

## Which versions are affected by GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including typo3/cms-core.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `typo3/cms-core` | Packagist | From 8.0.0 | 8.7.23 |
| `typo3/cms-core` | Packagist | From 8.0.0 | 8.7.23 |
| `typo3/cms-core` | Packagist | From 9.0.0 | 9.5.4 |
| `typo3/cms-core` | Packagist | From 9.0.0 | 9.5.4 |

## How do I fix GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w?

Upgrade typo3/cms-core to a fixed version for your release line: 8.7.23 or 9.5.4.

## Is GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w is a vulnerability in typo3/cms-core, published on 30 May 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- typo3/cms-core (Packagist): affected from 8.0.0; fixed in 8.7.23
- typo3/cms-core (Packagist): affected from 8.0.0; fixed in 8.7.23
- typo3/cms-core (Packagist): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.5.4
- typo3/cms-core (Packagist): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.5.4

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/GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-rxc9-f2x6-qh4w/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.