CVE-2023-1149 in btcpayserver
Summary
by MITRE • 03/02/2023
Improper Neutralization of Equivalent Special Elements in GitHub repository btcpayserver/btcpayserver prior to 1.8.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-1149 represents a critical security flaw in the btcpayserver repository that affects versions prior to 1.8.0. This issue stems from improper neutralization of equivalent special elements, which creates a potential attack vector for malicious actors seeking to exploit the system. The vulnerability specifically impacts how the software handles special characters and elements that could be interpreted as equivalent to dangerous input sequences. The btcpayserver is a comprehensive bitcoin payment processing solution that enables merchants to accept bitcoin payments directly without intermediaries, making its security paramount for financial transactions. The improper handling of special elements in this context could allow attackers to bypass input validation mechanisms and potentially inject malicious content into the system.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-116 category of "Improper Neutralization of Equivalent Special Elements" which is classified as a weakness in input validation and sanitization processes. The technical flaw manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that have equivalent representations in different encoding formats or contexts. Attackers can exploit this by crafting input that contains special elements designed to evade detection while maintaining their malicious intent. The equivalent special elements could include unicode characters, encoded sequences, or other representations that appear benign but are functionally equivalent to dangerous input patterns. When these elements are processed without proper neutralization, they can lead to various security consequences including but not limited to injection attacks, data corruption, or unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in a payment processing environment where input validation is critical for maintaining the integrity and security of financial transactions.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-1149 extends beyond simple input validation failures to potentially compromise the entire payment processing infrastructure. In a btcpayserver environment, this vulnerability could enable attackers to manipulate transaction data, inject malicious payloads into payment processing workflows, or bypass authentication mechanisms. The consequences could include unauthorized fund transfers, data breaches, or complete system compromise. The attack surface is particularly broad given that btcpayserver handles sensitive financial information and transactional data from multiple sources. Organizations using vulnerable versions of btcpayserver face significant risk of financial loss and reputational damage if exploited successfully. The vulnerability affects not only the core payment processing capabilities but also any feature that relies on proper input sanitization, including user registration, invoice generation, and administrative functions. This makes the impact of the vulnerability systemic rather than isolated to specific components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-1149 should prioritize immediate upgrade to btcpayserver version 1.8.0 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures that specifically target equivalent special elements across all user-facing interfaces and data processing points. The implementation should follow established security frameworks such as the OWASP Input Validation Cheat Sheet and apply proper encoding techniques for all input handling processes. System administrators should conduct thorough security assessments of their btcpayserver installations to identify any potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all instances have been updated. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect unusual input patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of updated systems to ensure that the neutralization mechanisms function correctly and do not introduce new vulnerabilities. Security teams should also review and update their incident response procedures to address potential exploitation scenarios involving this type of input validation weakness.