Summary
MindsDB can be made to not verify SSL certificates
MindsDB's AI Virtual Database allows developers to connect any AI/ML model to any datasource. Prior to version 23.7.4.0, a call to requests with verify=False disables SSL certificate checks. This rule enforces always verifying SSL certificates for methods in the Requests library. In version 23.7.4.0, certificates are validated by default, which is the desired behavior
Encryption in general is typically critical to the security of many applications. Using TLS can significantly increase security by guaranteeing the identity of the party you are communicating with. This is accomplished by one or both parties presenting trusted certificates during the connection initialization phase of TLS.
It is important to note that modules such as httplib within the Python standard library did not verify certificate chains until it was fixed in 2.7.9 release.
Details
Severity: Critical
Impact
CVE-2023-38699 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no 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 (23.7.4.0); 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-2023-38699? CVE-2023-38699 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in MindsDB (pip), affecting versions < 23.7.4.0. It is fixed in 23.7.4.0.
- How severe is CVE-2023-38699? CVE-2023-38699 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). 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 MindsDB are affected by CVE-2023-38699? MindsDB (pip) versions < 23.7.4.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-38699? Yes. CVE-2023-38699 is fixed in 23.7.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-38699 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-38699 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-2023-38699 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-2023-38699? Upgrade
MindsDBto 23.7.4.0 or later.