CVE-2023-29401 is a medium-severity (CVSS 4.3) CWE-494 vulnerability in github.com/gin-gonic/gin. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for github.com/gin-gonic/gin — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper handling of filenames in Content-Disposition HTTP header in github.com/gin-gonic/gin
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-29401.
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-2023-29401 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 377,166 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/gin-gonic/ginReal-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
The filename parameter of the Context.FileAttachment function is not properly sanitized. A maliciously crafted filename can cause the Content-Disposition header to be sent with an unexpected filename value or otherwise modify the Content-Disposition header. For example, a filename of "setup.bat";x=.txt" will be sent as a file named "setup.bat". If the FileAttachment function is called with names provided by an untrusted source, this may permit an attacker to cause a file to be served with a name different than provided. Maliciously crafted attachment file name can modify the Content-Disposition header.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/gin-gonic/gin | ≥ 1.3.1-0.20190301021747-ccb9e902956d&&< 1.9.1 | 1.9.1go get github.com/gin-gonic/gin@v1.9.1 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/gin-gonic/gin, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/gin-gonic/gin to 1.9.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-29401 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-2023-29401 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2023-29401. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Migration Toolkit for Virtualization 2.5 | migration-toolkit-virtualization/mtv-controller-rhel9:2.5.2-5 | RHBA-2023:6078 |
| Red Hat Migration Toolkit for Containers 1.7 | rhmtc/openshift-migration-controller-rhel8:v1.7.11-4 | RHSA-2023:4293 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.14 | openshift4/ose-image-customization-controller-rhel8:v4.14.0-202310201027.p0.g2dda87a.assembly.stream | RHSA-2023:5006 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.14 | openshift4/ose-agent-installer-api-server-rhel8:v4.14.0-202410151739.p0.gcb552db.assembly.stream.el8 | RHSA-2024:8235 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.14 | openshift4/ose-agent-installer-csr-approver-rhel8:v4.14.0-202410220407.p0.g53ccc48.assembly.stream.el8 | RHSA-2024:8697 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-29401 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2023-29401 across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.