Security Resilience

CVE-2023-24055

Keepass ≤ 2.53

Published
22 January 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 5.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.037 90th percentile
Risk Priority 62 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2023-24055 is a medium-severity Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information (CWE-312) vulnerability in Keepass Keepass. Its CVSS base score is 5.5 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Junk Data (T1001.001); ranked in the top 10% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

KeePass through version 2.53, in its default configuration, is vulnerable to credential disclosure via the application's XML configuration file. An attacker who can write to this file can insert an export trigger that causes the password manager to write stored entries to disk in cleartext, bypassing the normal encryption of the database. The issue is tracked as CWE-312 and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 5.5, reflecting local access requirements.

An attacker with write access to the KeePass configuration file on a victim's workstation can add the malicious trigger and later retrieve the exported passwords. Because the attack relies on local file-system access rather than remote exploitation or a flaw in the database encryption itself, it is effective only against users whose systems are already partially compromised or who share configuration directories with untrusted accounts. The vendor maintains that the product is not designed to protect credentials against an adversary who already possesses this level of control over the local machine.

Public references consist primarily of vendor forum threads and technical write-ups that restate the vendor's position; no official patch or configuration change is offered. The associated EPSS score has remained near 0.41 since disclosure, indicating sustained but not sharply escalating exploitation interest.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

KeePass through 2.53 (in a default installation) allows an attacker, who has write access to the XML configuration file, to obtain the cleartext passwords by adding an export trigger. NOTE: the vendor's position is that the password database is not…

more

intended to be secure against an attacker who has that level of access to the local PC.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1001.001 Junk Data Command And Control
Adversaries may add junk data to protocols used for command and control to make detection more difficult.
T1003.006 DCSync Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access credentials and other sensitive information by abusing a Windows Domain Controller's application programming interface (API)(Citation: Microsoft DRSR Dec 2017) (Citation: Microsoft GetNCCChanges) (Citati…
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1007 System Service Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may try to gather information about registered local system services.
T1010 Application Window Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of open application windows.
T1016.001 Internet Connection Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may check for Internet connectivity on compromised systems.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-32784Same product: Keepass Keepass
CVE-2023-30530Shared CWE-312
CVE-2024-40750Shared CWE-312
CVE-2023-28345Shared CWE-312
CVE-2025-23027Shared CWE-312
CVE-2024-10404Shared CWE-312
CVE-2023-1897Shared CWE-312
CVE-2023-24442Shared CWE-312
CVE-2023-30367Shared CWE-312
CVE-2024-53865Shared CWE-312

Affected Assets

keepass
keepass
≤ 2.53

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

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Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

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Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 4 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V14.2.8

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.

addresses: CWE-312

Training on secure data handling discourages cleartext storage of sensitive information.

addresses: CWE-312

Data action mapping can detect storage actions that leave sensitive information in cleartext.

addresses: CWE-312

Configuration policies can mandate secure storage methods to avoid cleartext storage of sensitive information.

addresses: CWE-312

Policy requires protection measures such as encryption for sensitive data stored on media, preventing cleartext exposure.

addresses: CWE-312

Key-management policy requires protected storage of key material, preventing cleartext storage of sensitive cryptographic keys.

addresses: CWE-312

Requiring confidentiality protection for information at rest eliminates cleartext storage of sensitive data on persistent media.

addresses: CWE-312

Reduces cleartext storage of sensitive data when OPSEC identifies and mandates protection of key information artifacts.

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.

PR.DS-01 partial match
blocks

Encryption and cryptographic controls for data-at-rest directly prevent cleartext storage of sensitive information.

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.

finds

When clear-text sensitive data is detected leaving controlled storage, the control can block the transfer, thereby limiting the exposure that would result from unencrypted storage on external media or cloud services.

removes

created from the owner's anchor; an owner grade is a row and does not wait for an instrument (Mythos 2026-09-29T15:58Z).

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248525 All OL 8 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at-rest protection. blocks CWE-312
Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
  • V-271756 OL 9 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. blocks CWE-312
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230224 All RHEL 8 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at rest protection. blocks CWE-312

References