Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-31133 is a high-severity Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CWE-200) vulnerability in Ghost Ghost. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 1% 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.
Ghost is a content management platform for publishing websites, newsletters, and subscriptions. CVE-2023-31133 is an information disclosure vulnerability affecting Ghost versions prior to 5.46.1, caused by insufficient input validation on filter parameters accepted by public API endpoints. The flaw resides in the content API handling and allows exposure of private fields that should not be accessible to unauthenticated callers.
An unauthenticated attacker can send crafted requests containing filter expressions to the public API and use brute-force techniques to enumerate or reveal sensitive values such as password hashes or email addresses. The attack requires no credentials and targets the confidentiality of member or user data stored by the application.
The official Ghost security advisory and release notes for v5.46.1 recommend upgrading immediately; Ghost(Pro) instances were patched prior to public disclosure. Self-hosted deployments can apply the workaround of blocking requests to /ghost/api/content/* that include the strings “password” or “email” inside the filter query parameter. The referenced GitHub commits implement stricter validation of filter inputs on the affected endpoints.
EPSS for the CVE rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.1832 before receding to the current value of 0.0717, indicating measurable post-disclosure exploitation interest. Maintainers have reported no observed exploitation against Ghost(Pro) prior to patching.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-1619
Vulnerability Data
Ghost is an app for new-media creators with tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters, and offer paid subscriptions to members. Prior to version 5.46.1, due to a lack of validation when filtering on the public API endpoints,…
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it is possible to reveal private fields via a brute force attack. Ghost(Pro) has already been patched. Maintainers can find no evidence that the issue was exploited on Ghost(Pro) prior to the patch being added. Self-hosters are impacted if running Ghost a version below v5.46.1. v5.46.1 contains a fix for this issue. As a workaround, add a block for requests to `/ghost/api/content/*` where the `filter` query parameter contains `password` or `email`.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
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.
Automated marking applies security attributes to system outputs, making it harder for attackers to exploit unmarked sensitive information leading to unauthorized exposure.
Proper attribute retention and permitted-value enforcement limits unauthorized actors from accessing sensitive information lacking correct labels.
Prevents unauthorized exposure of sensitive information by prohibiting untrusted external systems from processing or storing it.
By enforcing authorization matching prior to sharing, the control reduces the risk of exposing sensitive information to unauthorized actors.
Review and removal of nonpublic information from publicly accessible systems directly prevents exposure of sensitive data to unauthorized actors.
Data mining protection mechanisms detect and block unauthorized bulk extraction of sensitive data, directly mitigating exposure to unauthorized actors.
Literacy training teaches users to recognize and avoid actions that result in unauthorized exposure of sensitive information.
Retaining and monitoring training records confirms personnel have completed privacy and security awareness training on handling sensitive data, reducing the chance of unauthorized exposure due to lack of knowledge.
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.
A.5.10 only requires awareness, a topic-specific acceptable-use policy stating expected behaviours/monitoring, and procedures referencing classification and other controls; per the owner's explicit rule on labelling and similar dependency-style clauses, this does not itself prevent exposure (CWE-200) unless access/DLP/etc. act on it.
Requiring the return of all physical and electronic assets plus secure deletion of organizational data from personal devices reduces the chance that sensitive information remains accessible to departing personnel.
A.5.12 only defines and communicates a classification scheme so that protection needs can be understood; per the owner's explicit rule, labeling/classification does not itself prevent exposure and requires other controls (e.g. access enforcement) to act on it.
By requiring classification labels and metadata on all information assets, the control makes it harder for sensitive data to be inadvertently exposed because downstream systems and users can recognize and enforce handling rules based on those labels.
Requiring encryption, access controls, and recipient authentication for transfers directly reduces the chance that sensitive data reaches an unauthorized observer.
Secure delivery, protected storage, and confidentiality of allocation records limit exposure of authentication material to unauthorized observers.
Hardening callouts derived
DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.