Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-26138 is a CRLF injection issue in drogonframework/drogon. If an application places untrusted input into request headers using addHeader, an attacker may inject extra headers into the outgoing request. Business impact is likely limited but real where Drogon is used in request-building or proxy-like code paths.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for internet-facing services, proxy behavior, webhook clients, and systems that transform user input into outbound headers. For internal-only code without untrusted header input, schedule normal patch hygiene.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-93 header injection through addHeader when values contain carriage return and line feed characters. CVSS 3.1 is 5.4, network reachable, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, with low confidentiality and integrity impact and no availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to applications using drogonframework/drogon and passing attacker-influenced input into request headers via addHeader. The bundle says all versions are vulnerable, but does not name specific fixed versions or CPEs.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. The CVSS vector includes proof-of-concept maturity, and a public gist is referenced, so treat validation as plausible without assuming broad exploitation.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports CRLF injection in Drogon addHeader usage, not a universal remote compromise. The source bundle lacks an official fixed version and detailed vendor remediation, so validation should focus on reachable data flow into header construction.
Mitigation direction
- Identify Drogon usage and affected addHeader call sites.
- Reject or encode CR and LF characters in header names and values.
- Avoid building request headers directly from user-controlled input.
- Check Drogon and Snyk guidance for fixed releases or official workarounds.
- Add regression tests for header injection handling.
Validation and detection
- Search code for addHeader calls fed by request, form, URL, or API input.
- Confirm header values cannot contain carriage return or line feed characters.
- Review proxy, webhook, redirect, and outbound request construction paths.
- Run unit tests covering malicious header values without sending real external requests.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-93: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-26138 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N/E:P
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N/E:P2.82.5Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N/E:P
Source materials
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences ('CRLF Injection')
Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences ('CRLF Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.