Security Resilience

CVE-2023-5256

Info Disclosure in Drupal 8.7.0 – 9.5.11

Published
28 September 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0085 57th percentile
Risk Priority 58 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-2023-5256 is a high-severity Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CWE-200) vulnerability in Drupal Drupal. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 43% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

In certain scenarios, Drupal's JSON:API module will output error backtraces. With some configurations, this may cause sensitive information to be cached and made available to anonymous users, leading to privilege escalation. This vulnerability only affects sites with the JSON:API module…

more

enabled, and can be mitigated by uninstalling JSON:API. The core REST and contributed GraphQL modules are not affected.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-13080Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2026-6366Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2024-45440Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2024-55638Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2026-55808Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2024-12393Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2025-31673Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2024-55637Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2026-6367Same product: Drupal Drupal
CVE-2025-31675Same product: Drupal Drupal

Affected Assets

drupal
drupal
8.7.0 — 9.5.11 · 10.0.0 — 10.0.11 · 10.1.0 — 10.1.4

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.

addresses: CWE-200

Automated marking applies security attributes to system outputs, making it harder for attackers to exploit unmarked sensitive information leading to unauthorized exposure.

addresses: CWE-200

Proper attribute retention and permitted-value enforcement limits unauthorized actors from accessing sensitive information lacking correct labels.

addresses: CWE-200

Prevents unauthorized exposure of sensitive information by prohibiting untrusted external systems from processing or storing it.

addresses: CWE-200

By enforcing authorization matching prior to sharing, the control reduces the risk of exposing sensitive information to unauthorized actors.

addresses: CWE-200

Review and removal of nonpublic information from publicly accessible systems directly prevents exposure of sensitive data to unauthorized actors.

addresses: CWE-200

Data mining protection mechanisms detect and block unauthorized bulk extraction of sensitive data, directly mitigating exposure to unauthorized actors.

addresses: CWE-200

Literacy training teaches users to recognize and avoid actions that result in unauthorized exposure of sensitive information.

addresses: CWE-200

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.

blocks

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.

blocks

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.

blocks

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.

blocks

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.

blocks

Requiring encryption, access controls, and recipient authentication for transfers directly reduces the chance that sensitive data reaches an unauthorized observer.

blocks

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.

References