CVE-2023-45809: Wagtail is an open source content management system built on Django. A user with a limited-permission editor account for the Wagtail admin can make a ...

Description

Wagtail is an open source content management system built on Django. A user with a limited-permission editor account for the Wagtail admin can make a direct URL request to the admin view that handles bulk actions on user accounts. While authentication rules prevent the user from making any changes, the error message discloses the display names of user accounts, and by modifying URL parameters, the user can retrieve the display name for any user. The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin. Patched versions have been released as Wagtail 4.1.8 (LTS), 5.0.5 and 5.1.3. The fix is also included in Release Candidate 1 of the forthcoming Wagtail 5.2 release. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

2.7/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

EPSS Probability

0.45%

36.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Torchbox	Wagtail	< 4.1.9
Torchbox	Wagtail	>= 4.2, < 5.0.5
Torchbox	Wagtail	>= 5.1, < 5.1.3

References

Timeline

Published: Oct 19, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-45809?

Wagtail is an open source content management system built on Django. A user with a limited-permission editor account for the Wagtail admin can make a direct URL request to the admin view that handles bulk actions on user accounts. While authentication rules prevent the user from making any changes, the error message discloses the display names of user accounts, and by modifying URL parameters, the user can retrieve the display name for any user. The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin. Patched versions have been released as Wagtail 4.1.8 (LTS), 5.0.5 and 5.1.3. The fix is also included in Release Candidate 1 of the forthcoming Wagtail 5.2 release. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

How severe is CVE-2023-45809?

CVE-2023-45809 has a CVSS score of 2.7/10 (LOW severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.45% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-45809?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.