Summary
Improper Privilege Management in Apache Sling
Privilege Escalation vulnerability in Apache Software Foundation Apache Sling. Any content author is able to create i18n dictionaries in the repository in a location the author has write access to. As these translations are used across the whole product, it allows an author to change any text or dialog in the product. For example an attacker might fool someone by changing the text on a delete button to "Info". This issue affects the i18n module of Apache Sling versions before 2.6.2. Version 2.6.2 and higher limit by default i18m dictionaries to certain paths in the repository (/libs and /apps). Users of the module are advised to update to version 2.6.2 or higher, check the configuration for resource loading and then adjust the access permissions for the configured path accordingly.
Impact
The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.
CVE-2023-25621 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). 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 (2.6.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-25621? CVE-2023-25621 is a medium-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.i18n (maven), affecting versions < 2.6.2. It is fixed in 2.6.2. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
- How severe is CVE-2023-25621? CVE-2023-25621 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). 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.
- Which versions of org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.i18n are affected by CVE-2023-25621? org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.i18n (maven) versions < 2.6.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-25621? Yes. CVE-2023-25621 is fixed in 2.6.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-25621 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-25621 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-25621 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-25621? Upgrade
org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.i18nto 2.6.2 or later.