What is GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G?

GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G is a medium-severity improper authentication vulnerability in github.com/slack-go/slack (go), affecting versions < 0.23.1. It is fixed in 0.23.1. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.

Which versions of github.com/slack-go/slack are affected by GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G?

github.com/slack-go/slack (go) versions < 0.23.1 is affected.

Is there a fix for GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G?

Yes. GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G is fixed in 0.23.1. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G 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.

What actually determines whether GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G 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.

GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G in github.com/slack-go/slack

Q: Which versions of github.com/slack-go/slack are affected by GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G?

github.com/slack-go/slack (go) versions < 0.23.1 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G?

Yes. GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G is fixed in 0.23.1. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G 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.

Q: What actually determines whether GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G 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.

Q: How do I fix GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G?

Upgrade github.com/slack-go/slack to 0.23.1 or later.

Summary

slack-go SecretsVerifier accepts empty signing secret without precondition

SecretsVerifier in slack-go/slack before v0.23.1 accepts an empty signing secret without error. If an application is misconfigured (e.g., an unset or empty SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET), NewSecretsVerifier builds an HMAC-SHA256 keyed with an empty string, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to forge a valid X-Slack-Signature and bypass Slack request authentication. Fixed in v0.23.1, which rejects empty secrets with ErrInvalidConfiguration. This is patched in version 0.23.1.

Impact

The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access. Typical impact: unauthorized access to functions or data reserved for authenticated parties.

Affected versions

github.com/slack-go/slack (< 0.23.1)

Security releases

github.com/slack-go/slack → 0.23.1 (go)

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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Remediation advice

Upgrade github.com/slack-go/slack to 0.23.1 or later to resolve this vulnerability.

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G? GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G is a medium-severity improper authentication vulnerability in github.com/slack-go/slack (go), affecting versions < 0.23.1. It is fixed in 0.23.1. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
Which versions of github.com/slack-go/slack are affected by GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G? github.com/slack-go/slack (go) versions < 0.23.1 is affected.
Is there a fix for GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G? Yes. GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G is fixed in 0.23.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G 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 GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G 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 GHSA-GXHX-2686-5H9G? Upgrade github.com/slack-go/slack to 0.23.1 or later.