CVE-2023-30861

HIGH LAB

Flask < 2.2.5 and 2.3.0-2.3.2 - Session Cookie Exposure via Caching Proxy

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 2 public exploits for CVE-2023-30861. PoCs published by JawadPy, fromitive.

AI-analyzed exploit summary The repository contains functional exploit code for multiple CVEs, including CVE-2023-30861, which demonstrates a Flask caching proxy vulnerability leading to session cookie leakage. The PoC includes a Flask app and instructions to exploit the vulnerability under specific conditions.

Description

Flask is a lightweight WSGI web application framework. When all of the following conditions are met, a response containing data intended for one client may be cached and subsequently sent by the proxy to other clients. If the proxy also caches `Set-Cookie` headers, it may send one client's `session` cookie to other clients. The severity depends on the application's use of the session and the proxy's behavior regarding cookies. The risk depends on all these conditions being met. 1. The application must be hosted behind a caching proxy that does not strip cookies or ignore responses with cookies. 2. The application sets `session.permanent = True` 3. The application does not access or modify the session at any point during a request. 4. `SESSION_REFRESH_EACH_REQUEST` enabled (the default). 5. The application does not set a `Cache-Control` header to indicate that a page is private or should not be cached. This happens because vulnerable versions of Flask only set the `Vary: Cookie` header when the session is accessed or modified, not when it is refreshed (re-sent to update the expiration) without being accessed or modified. This issue has been fixed in versions 2.3.2 and 2.2.5.

Exploits (2)

github WORKING POC 1 stars
by JawadPy · pythonpoc
https://github.com/JawadPy/CVE-Exploit-Collection/tree/main/CVE-2023-30861-Exploit

The repository contains functional exploit code for multiple CVEs, including CVE-2023-30861, which demonstrates a Flask caching proxy vulnerability leading to session cookie leakage. The PoC includes a Flask app and instructions to exploit the vulnerability under specific conditions.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Flask < 2.2.5
No auth needed
Prerequisites: User must use a caching proxy · Attacker must have access to the caching proxy · Flask version < 2.2.5
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 27, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by fromitive · poc
https://github.com/fromitive/cve-2023-30861-poc

This PoC demonstrates CVE-2023-30861, a session handling vulnerability in Flask when used with a reverse proxy cache server. It includes a Docker-based environment to safely replicate the issue locally.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Flask (specific version not specified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Docker and Docker Compose · Local environment setup
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 7.5
EPSS 0.0022
EPSS Percentile 44.3%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial

Details

CWE
CWE-539
Status published
Products (2)
palletsprojects/flask < 2.2.5
pypi/Flask 2.3.0 - 2.3.2PyPI
Published May 02, 2023
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026