How severe is CVE-2023-40028?

CVE-2023-40028 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2023-40028 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 58% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-40028?

CVE-2023-40028 affects Ghost. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-40028?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2023-40028 published?

CVE-2023-40028 was published on 2023-08-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-40028

CVE-2023-40028 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Ghost with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.9. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 58% places it in the 99th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-59.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.9)
EPSS exploit prediction: 58% (99th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Ghost
Published: 2023-08-15
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Ghost is an open source content management system. Versions prior to 5.59.1 are subject to a vulnerability which allows authenticated users to upload files that are symlinks. This can be exploited to perform an arbitrary file read of any file on the host operating system. Site administrators can check for exploitation of this issue by looking for unknown symlinks within Ghost's `content/` folder. Version 5.59.1 contains a fix for this issue. All users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-40028?: Ghost is an open source content management system. Versions prior to 5.59.1 are subject to a vulnerability which allows authenticated users to upload files that are symlinks. This can be exploited to perform an arbitrary file read of any file on the host operating system. Site administrators can check for exploitation of this issue by looking for unknown symlinks within Ghost's `content/` folder. Version 5.59.1 contains a fix for this issue. All users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
How severe is CVE-2023-40028?: CVE-2023-40028 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-40028 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 58% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-40028?: CVE-2023-40028 affects Ghost. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-40028?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-40028 published?: CVE-2023-40028 was published on 2023-08-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:ghost:ghost:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*

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