CVE-2023-23614: pi-hole adminlte Insufficient Session Expiration

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2023-23614 is a high (CVSS 8.8) Insufficient Session Expiration vulnerability in pi-hole adminlte. EPSS estimates a 0.97% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 61.4% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.

Timeline

1. 26-01-2023
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 10-03-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Pi-hole®'s Web interface (based off of AdminLTE) provides a central location to manage your Pi-hole. Versions 4.0 and above, prior to 5.18.3 are vulnerable to Insufficient Session Expiration. Improper use of admin WEBPASSWORD hash as "Remember me for 7 days" cookie value makes it possible for an attacker to "pass the hash" to login or reuse a theoretically expired "remember me" cookie. It also exposes the hash over the network and stores it unnecessarily in the browser. The cookie itself is set to expire after 7 days but its value will remain valid as long as the admin password doesn't change. If a cookie is leaked or compromised it could be used forever as long as the admin password is not changed. An attacker that obtained the password hash via an other attack vector (for example a path traversal vulnerability) could use it to login as the admin by setting the hash as the cookie value without the need to crack it to obtain the admin password (pass the hash). The hash is exposed over the network and in the browser where the cookie is transmitted and stored. This issue is patched in version 5.18.3.

• CWE-613Insufficient Session ExpirationAccording to WASC, "Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization."
• CWE-836Use of Password Hash Instead of Password for AuthenticationThe product records password hashes in a data store, receives a hash of a password from a client, and compares the supplied hash to the hash obtained from the data store.