CVE-2023-28443
mediumpriority · track · 22EPSS 0.003 · 24 %ileEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Prior to version 9.23.3, the `directus_refresh_token` is not redacted properly from the log outputs and can be used to impersonate users without their permission. This issue is patched in version 9.23.3.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
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affected products (3)
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advisories (1)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- GHSA-8vg2-wf3q-mwv7directus vulnerable to Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File2023-03-23ghsa · osvUS
### Summary CWE-532: Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File discovered in v9.23.1. The `directus_refresh_token` is not redacted properly from the log outputs and can be used to impersonate users without their permission. ### Details Using `v9.23.1`, I am seeing that the `directus_refresh_token` is not properly redacted as indicated by https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/7c479c5161639aac466c763b6b958a9524201d74/api/src/logger.ts#L13 I'm classifying this as a security vulnerability because if someone has access to the log outputs, for example with a shared Cloud account or Splunk implementation, they could exchange the refresh token using `/auth/refresh` for an access token and use the token to perform actions on behalf of an unsuspecting user. This situation creates issues with accountability and non-repudiation because we can no longer have confidence that actions taken in the application were authorized or even performed by the logged-in user. A couple of examples of this are: - A disgruntled employee deletes all of the data to get even with a target team member before logging off on their last day - Under the guise of their unsuspecting boss, a mischievous engineer uploads _questionable_ images that get displayed on internal or external facing content sites The list could go on but I think these communicate the risk of an internal threat that has access to this information 😆 ### PoC 1. Set `LOG_STYLE="raw"` and run Directus v9.23.1 1. Log in to the application 1. Look at the shell output and see that `directus_refresh_token` is logged > Note: This is different from the standard `raw` output format. I intentionally ran this with `npx directus start | pino-pretty` so logs would be easier to read. It can also be reproduced by running `npx directus start` alone.  1. Exchange the `directus_refresh_token` for an `access_token` ``` shell curl -X POST \ 'http://0.0.0.0:8055/auth/refresh' \ --header 'Accept: */*' \ --header 'Cookie: directus_refresh_token=$shh' ``` ### Impact Because this can be used to exploit other threats related to [CWE-284: Improper Access Control](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/284.html) I rank it with a Moderate severity. An insider with knowledge of this could do many mischievous things and get away with them for a long time without victims knowing about it.
also known as (3)
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sources
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references (11)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://cxsecurity.com/cveshow/CVE-2023-28443/cnnvd
- https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/7c479c5161639aac466c763b6b958a9524201d74/api/src/logger.ts#L13cnnvd
- https://github.com/directus/directus/commit/349536303983ccba68ecb3e4fb35315424011afccnnvd
- https://github.com/directus/directus/security/advisories/GHSA-8vg2-wf3q-mwv7cnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28443cnnvd
- https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/7c479c5161639aac466c763b6b958a9524201d74/api/src/logger.ts#L13enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/directus/directus/commit/349536303983ccba68ecb3e4fb35315424011afcenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/directus/directus/security/advisories/GHSA-8vg2-wf3q-mwv7enisa_euvd
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