Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:LSummary
CVE-2023-50436 is a medium-severity Insufficiently Protected Credentials (CWE-522) vulnerability in Couchbase Couchbase Server. Its CVSS base score is 5.3 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked at the 15th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-28 (Protection of Information at Rest) and SC-8 (Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-55228
Vulnerability Data
An issue was discovered in Couchbase Server before 7.2.4. ns_server admin credentials are leaked in encoded form in the diag.log file. The earliest affected version is 7.1.5.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
—
—
- 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
V11.3.3
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Protection of information at rest requires encryption or equivalent safeguards for stored credentials.
Transmission confidentiality and integrity enforcement stops credentials from being sent in plaintext or without protection.
Authenticator management requires secure generation, storage, and distribution of credentials, directly stopping insecure methods.
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.
Encrypting data-at-rest fully prevents insecure credential storage while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.
Encrypting data-in-transit fully prevents interception of credentials in motion while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.
Credential management practices directly reduce insecure storage/transmission but do not guarantee encryption or transport protection.
Protecting identity assertions covers conveyance of credentials but is narrower than full credential lifecycle protection.
Authentication policies can enforce stronger credential handling yet address only verification, not storage or transit protection.
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.
Requiring protected storage, transmission, and non-display of passwords prevents credentials from being stored or sent in clear text where they can be harvested by unauthorized actors.
Protecting secret and private keys against disclosure and unauthorized use decreases the exposure of credentials that are stored or transmitted in recoverable form.
Forbidding clear-text transmission and display of passwords, plus the use of stronger alternatives to passwords, prevents credentials from being obtained or reused by attackers.
Acceptable-use expectations that cover protection of credentials and information assets throughout their lifecycle discourage practices that expose or mishandle authentication material.
Contractual clauses that survive termination help ensure that credentials and other secrets are not retained or misused after employment ends.
Regular reminders about password security and personal accountability make users less likely to store or transmit credentials in cleartext or other unprotected forms.