Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-46648

Github Enterprise Server 3.8.0 – 3.8.12

Published
21 December 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
CVSS Score v3.1 8.3
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0074 52th percentile
Risk Priority 61 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-46648 is a high-severity Insufficient Entropy (CWE-331) vulnerability in Github Enterprise Server. Its CVSS base score is 8.3 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Brute Force (T1110); ranked in the top 48% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A04:2025 Cryptographic Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An insufficient entropy vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) that allowed an attacker to brute force a user invitation to the GHES Management Console. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need knowledge that a user invitation was…

more

pending. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server since 3.8 and was fixed in version 3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, and 3.11.1. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.

CWE(s)
CWE-331

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1110 Brute Force Credential Access
Adversaries may use brute force techniques to gain access to accounts when passwords are unknown or when password hashes are obtained.
attack.mitre.org →
T1110.001 Password Guessing Credential Access
Adversaries with no prior knowledge of legitimate credentials within the system or environment may guess passwords to attempt access to accounts.
attack.mitre.org →
T1110.002 Password Cracking Credential Access
Adversaries may use password cracking to attempt to recover usable credentials, such as plaintext passwords, when credential material such as password hashes are obtained.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-23766Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2024-1482Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2024-2440Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2024-5746Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2025-3246Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2025-6600Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2026-1999Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2023-22380Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2026-2266Same product: Github Enterprise Server
CVE-2024-5566Same product: Github Enterprise Server

Affected Assets

github
enterprise server
3.11.0 · 3.8.0 — 3.8.12 · 3.9.0 — 3.9.7 · 3.10.0 — 3.10.4

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 6 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V6.5.2
  • V11.3.4

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.

SC-12 Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management
addresses: CWE-331

Approved key-establishment methods mandate sufficient entropy during key generation, eliminating entropy-starved keys.

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.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices explicitly include vetted RNG and entropy sources, directly preventing this weakness while covering many other development concerns.

PR.AA-03 partial match
prevents

Password-strength policies implicitly require sufficient entropy, but the control addresses authentication rather than algorithmic randomness.

PR.DS-01 partial match
prevents

Proper encryption for data-at-rest requires sufficient entropy for keys/nonces; eliminating the weakness therefore supports but does not fully realize the control.

PR.DS-02 partial match
prevents

Cryptographic protection of data-in-transit depends on adequate entropy; the weakness directly undermines the control's effectiveness.

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.8.24 Use of cryptography mostly match
prevents

Mandates use of cryptography that must rely on sufficient entropy sources.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing can detect insufficient-entropy defects before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure-SDLC activities include entropy validation during design and testing.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure-coding rules can explicitly forbid weak random-number generation.

A.8.5 Secure authentication partial match
degrades

Requires secure authentication mechanisms that depend on unpredictable secrets.

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` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
  • V-248524 OL 8 must implement NIST FIPS-validated cryptography for the following: To provision digital signatures, to generate cryptographic hashes, and to protect data requiring data-at-rest protections in accordance with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards. prevents CWE-331
  • V-248563 The OL 8 SSH server must be configured to use strong entropy. prevents CWE-331
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
  • V-204497 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must implement NIST FIPS-validated cryptography for the following: to provision digital signatures, to generate cryptographic hashes, and to protect data requiring data-at-rest protections in accordance with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards. prevents CWE-331
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230223 RHEL 8 must implement NIST FIPS-validated cryptography for the following: To provision digital signatures, to generate cryptographic hashes, and to protect data requiring data-at-rest protections in accordance with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards. prevents CWE-331

References