Threats / Apache / CVE-2023-27524
CVE-2023-27524
· EUVD no mirror located
· GCVE no mirror located
Verified 2026-06-22
Apache Superset vulnerability
Apache Superset contains an insecure default initialization vulnerability allowing authentication bypass and unauthorized resource access when the default SECRET_KEY is not changed during installation.
Verdict
Today item — known-exploited.
Unauthenticated attackers can bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to Superset instances using default credentials or cryptographic material, provided the installation has not altered the default SECRET_KEY configuration.
01
Is it exploitable?
— the evidence, ranked above the scoreExploit available
Fully weaponized — public exploit code is cataloged for this vulnerability.We link the existence of the exploit; we do not host or redistribute payloads.
Reported exploitation
4 independent public reports of in-the-wild exploitation are cataloged.Distinct reporting sources (vendor, incident response, government); open them for the underlying claims.
Exploited in the wild
Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2024-01-08).
Probability (EPSS)
EPSS 0.97405 — modeled likelihood of exploitation activity.EPSS is a daily-changing model output — open the source for today's value.
Severity / affected
Affected: Apache, Superset. Confirm exact fixed builds in the vendor advisory.
Weakness (CWE)
Mapped to CWE-1188 Insecure Default Initialization — weakness family: Authorization / access control.CWE assignment from the public NVD record; the weakness class drives how the flaw is exploited.
02
Who’s exploiting it?
— attribution turns risk into urgencyAttribution not established
No confirmed (advisory-backed) threat-actor attribution is established for this record. Absence of a named actor is not absence of compromise — see Coverage & confidence.
03
Why it matters
— the attack path, told twice: adversary, then board1
Front door — unauthenticated access narrative 1
Attacker
I identify a Superset instance with the default SECRET_KEY still in place by attempting standard authentication bypass techniques.
Business
Attackers gain unauthorized access to analytics platforms, exposing sensitive business intelligence and data analysis workflows.
2
Keys to the kingdom — privilege/identity takeover narrative 2
Attacker
I authenticate to the Superset application without valid credentials by exploiting the predictable default cryptographic material.
Business
Unauthorized users can view, modify, or delete dashboards and datasets, compromising data integrity and decision-making accuracy.
3
Lateral reach — past segmentation narrative 3
Attacker
I access restricted resources and administrative functions that should require proper authentication and authorization.
Business
Attackers may escalate privileges, modify system configurations, or access sensitive organizational data stored within Superset.
04
What to do
— defensible action- Remediate per the vendor advisory — confirm the fixed build for your version and verify exposure.1
Say it to the boardA vulnerability with this evidence profile is a defensible budget line, not a backlog ticket — fund the change against the proof above.
05
Coverage & confidence
— what we know, and what we don’tEstablished (cited)
Coverage gaps — stated, not hidden
Disclosure & credit2
Catalogued by apacheCNA
Credited with finding itNaveen Sunkavally (Horizon3.ai)finder