CVE-2020-26223

CVE-2020-26223 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in spree_api (rubygems), affecting versions >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.13. It is fixed in 3.7.13, 4.0.5, 4.1.12.

Summary

References

Pull request with a fix and in-depth explanation - https://github.com/spree/spree/pull/10573

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Impact

The perpetrator could query the API v2 Order Status endpoint with an empty string passed as an Order token

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2020-26223 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.7.13, 4.0.5, 4.1.12); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

spree_api (>= 3.7.0, < 3.7.13) spree_api (>= 4.0.0, < 4.0.5) spree_api (>= 4.1.0, < 4.1.12)

Security releases

spree_api → 3.7.13 (rubygems) spree_api → 4.0.5 (rubygems) spree_api → 4.1.12 (rubygems)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

See it in your environment

Remediation advice

Please upgrade to 3.7.11, 4.0.4, or 4.1.11 depending on your used Spree version. Users of Spree < 3.7 are not affected.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is CVE-2020-26223? CVE-2020-26223 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in spree_api (rubygems), affecting versions >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.13. It is fixed in 3.7.13, 4.0.5, 4.1.12. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
  2. How severe is CVE-2020-26223? CVE-2020-26223 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
  3. Which versions of spree_api are affected by CVE-2020-26223? spree_api (rubygems) versions >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.13 is affected.
  4. Is there a fix for CVE-2020-26223? Yes. CVE-2020-26223 is fixed in 3.7.13, 4.0.5, 4.1.12. Upgrade to this version or later.
  5. Is CVE-2020-26223 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-26223 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
  6. What actually determines whether CVE-2020-26223 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
  7. How do I fix CVE-2020-26223?
    • Upgrade spree_api to 3.7.13 or later
    • Upgrade spree_api to 4.0.5 or later
    • Upgrade spree_api to 4.1.12 or later

Other vulnerabilities in spree_api

CVE-2026-25758CVE-2020-26223

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