CVE-2023-0919 in kavita
Summary
by MITRE • 02/19/2023
Missing Authentication for Critical Function in GitHub repository kareadita/kavita prior to 0.7.0.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0919 represents a critical authentication flaw in the kavita digital library management system prior to version 0.7.0. This issue falls under the category of missing authentication for critical functions as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration standard CWE-306, which specifically addresses scenarios where security-critical operations lack proper authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the kareadita/kavita repository, a popular open-source digital library application designed for managing and organizing digital media collections including books, comics, and magazines.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to properly authenticate users before executing critical administrative functions. This allows unauthorized individuals to access sensitive operations such as user management, content modification, system configuration changes, and potentially data exfiltration capabilities. The vulnerability exists because the application does not adequately validate user credentials or session tokens before permitting access to privileged functions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system without proper authorization. This authentication bypass represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture, as it violates the principle of least privilege and allows for unauthorized access to critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for organizations and individuals relying on kavita for digital library management. Unauthorized users could gain full administrative control over the library system, enabling them to modify or delete content, manipulate user accounts, and potentially access sensitive data stored within the digital library. The vulnerability creates a persistent security risk that remains active until the affected version is updated, exposing systems to potential data breaches, content tampering, and unauthorized modifications that could compromise the integrity and availability of digital collections. This risk is exacerbated in environments where kavita serves as a central repository for valuable digital assets, as the vulnerability could lead to complete system compromise and data loss.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0919 primarily involve immediate deployment of the patched version 0.7.0 or later, which addresses the authentication gap through proper session validation and credential verification mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to kavita installations and ensure that only authorized personnel can reach the system. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, implementing robust logging of administrative activities, and conducting regular security assessments of the digital library infrastructure. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts usage, as attackers could leverage the authentication bypass to maintain persistent access to the system. System administrators should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access where possible and regularly review access controls to ensure that only legitimate users maintain privileges within the kavita environment.