CVE-2023-23614
Pi-Hole Web Interface 4.0 – 5.18.3
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2023-23614 is a high-severity Insufficient Session Expiration (CWE-613) vulnerability in Pi-Hole Web Interface. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Pass the Hash (T1550.002); ranked in the top 41% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-27710
Vulnerability Data
Pi-hole®'s Web interface (based off of AdminLTE) provides a central location to manage your Pi-hole. Versions 4.0 and above, prior to 5.18.3 are vulnerable to Insufficient Session Expiration. Improper use of admin WEBPASSWORD hash as "Remember me for 7 days"…
more
cookie value makes it possible for an attacker to "pass the hash" to login or reuse a theoretically expired "remember me" cookie. It also exposes the hash over the network and stores it unnecessarily in the browser. The cookie itself is set to expire after 7 days but its value will remain valid as long as the admin password doesn't change. If a cookie is leaked or compromised it could be used forever as long as the admin password is not changed. An attacker that obtained the password hash via an other attack vector (for example a path traversal vulnerability) could use it to login as the admin by setting the hash as the cookie value without the need to crack it to obtain the admin password (pass the hash). The hash is exposed over the network and in the browser where the cookie is transmitted and stored. This issue is patched in version 5.18.3.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Locks the device (typically after inactivity) until re-authentication, addressing insufficient session expiration by preventing indefinite access.
Automatically terminating sessions after a defined period directly enforces session expiration, preventing indefinite session lifetimes that attackers can exploit.
Re-authentication after inactivity or time-based triggers prevents indefinite use of potentially hijacked or stale sessions.
Terminating sessions and network connections upon completion prevents insufficient session expiration.
Directly enforces termination of network sessions after inactivity or end-of-session, preventing indefinite session lifetime.
Consistent clocks across systems allow session expiration and timeout enforcement to function as intended in distributed environments.
When the non-persistent artifact is a session or connection, mandatory termination implements the missing expiration that CWE-613 describes.
Timed refresh of session-related information or on-demand generation plus deletion implements proper session expiration.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Credential lifecycle management directly includes enforcing session expiration to prevent reuse.
Proper authentication mechanisms require passwords (not pre-hashed values) to be supplied by the claimant and verified server-side.
Authorization policy enforcement and review covers terminating stale sessions to limit access scope.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Directly requires secure handling and protection of authentication credentials, preventing storage or comparison of password hashes as if they were passwords.
Mandates secure authentication mechanisms that preclude the flawed practice of treating password hashes as authenticators.
Requires proper cryptographic practices for protecting passwords, indirectly mitigating misuse of hashes in authentication.
Secure coding guidance can prevent this implementation error but does not address the control's broader intent.