CVE-2023-22492 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.9) CWE-613 vulnerability in github.com/zitadel/zitadel. A fix is available for github.com/zitadel/zitadel — see the affected versions and patch details below.
RefreshToken invalidation vulnerability
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-22492.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2023-22492 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 378,156 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
github.com/zitadel/zitadel🐹github.com/zitadel/zitadelReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
RefreshTokens is an OAuth 2.0 feature that allows applications to retrieve new access tokens and refresh the user's session without the need for interacting with a UI.
RefreshTokens were not invalidated when a user was locked or deactivated. The deactivated or locked user was able to obtain a valid access token only through a refresh token grant.
When the locked or deactivated user’s session was already terminated (“logged out”) then it was not possible to create a new session. Renewal of access token through a refresh token grant is limited to the configured amount of time (RefreshTokenExpiration).
Patches
2.x versions are fixed on >= 2.17.3 2.16.x versions are fixed on >= 2.16.4
ZITADEL recommends upgrading to the latest versions available in due course.
Workarounds
Ensure the RefreshTokenExpiration in the OIDC settings of your instance is set according to your security requirements.
References
https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/instance-settings#oidc-token-lifetimes-and-expiration
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/zitadel/zitadel | ≥ 2.17.0&&< 2.17.3 | 2.17.3go get github.com/zitadel/zitadel@v2.17.3 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/zitadel/zitadel | ≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.16.4 | 2.16.4go get github.com/zitadel/zitadel@v2.16.4 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/zitadel/zitadel, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/zitadel/zitadel to 2.17.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-22492 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2023-22492 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2023-22492. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-22492 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2023-22492 across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.