CVE-2023-27524: Apache Superset Insecure Default Initialization of Resource Vulnerability

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name

Apache Superset Insecure Default Initialization of Resource Vulnerability

Vendor

Apache

Product

Superset

Added to the catalog

2024-01-08

Due date for US federal agencies

2024-01-29

Weaknesses

CWE-1188

Catalog version

2026.10.30

Apache Superset contains an insecure default initialization of a resource vulnerability that allows an attacker to authenticate and access unauthorized resources on installations that have not altered the default configured SECRET_KEY according to installation instructions.

Required action (CISA)

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Ransomware use: CISA does not mark known use of this vulnerability in ransomware campaigns.

Links in CISA's notes

• https://lists.apache.org/thread/n0ftx60sllf527j7g11kmt24wvof8xyk
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27524

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status

Analyzed

Published

2023-04-24T16:15:07.843

Last modified

2026-06-17T05:45:23.917

Weaknesses

CWE-1188

Session Validation attacks in Apache Superset versions up to and including 2.0.1. Installations that have not altered the default configured SECRET_KEY according to installation instructions allow for an attacker to authenticate and access unauthorized resources. This does not affect Superset administrators who have changed the default value for SECRET_KEY config.

All superset installations should always set a unique secure random SECRET_KEY. Your SECRET_KEY is used to securely sign all session cookies and encrypting sensitive information on the database.
Add a strong SECRET_KEY to your `superset_config.py` file like:

SECRET_KEY = <YOUR_OWN_RANDOM_GENERATED_SECRET_KEY>

Alternatively you can set it with `SUPERSET_SECRET_KEY` environment variable.

References

• https://lists.apache.org/thread/n0ftx60sllf527j7g11kmt24wvof8xyk (Mailing List, Vendor Advisory)
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172522/Apache-Superset-2.0.0-Authentication-Bypass.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/175094/Apache-Superset-2.0.0-Remote-Code-Execution.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/24/2 (Mailing List)
• https://lists.apache.org/thread/n0ftx60sllf527j7g11kmt24wvof8xyk (Mailing List, Vendor Advisory)
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172522/Apache-Superset-2.0.0-Authentication-Bypass.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/175094/Apache-Superset-2.0.0-Remote-Code-Execution.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/24/2 (Mailing List)
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-27524 (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:42:08.214Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2023-27524

CVE record

Title (CNA)

Apache Superset: Session validation vulnerability when using provided default SECRET_KEY

Assigner

apache

State

PUBLISHED

Published

2023-04-24T15:28:16.573Z

Updated

2025-10-21T23:05:48.552Z

Problem types

CWE-1188 Insecure Default Initialization of Resource

Session Validation attacks in Apache Superset versions up to and including 2.0.1. Installations that have not altered the default configured SECRET_KEY according to installation instructions allow for an attacker to authenticate and access unauthorized resources. This does not affect Superset administrators who have changed the default value for SECRET_KEY config.

All superset installations should always set a unique secure random SECRET_KEY. Your SECRET_KEY is used to securely sign all session cookies and encrypting sensitive information on the database.
Add a strong SECRET_KEY to your `superset_config.py` file like:

SECRET_KEY = <YOUR_OWN_RANDOM_GENERATED_SECRET_KEY>

Alternatively you can set it with `SUPERSET_SECRET_KEY` environment variable.

References

• https://lists.apache.org/thread/n0ftx60sllf527j7g11kmt24wvof8xyk
• https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/04/24/2
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172522/Apache-Superset-2.0.0-Authentication-Bypass.html
• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/175094/Apache-Superset-2.0.0-Remote-Code-Execution.html

Read on 2026-11-03T02:03:04.539Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2023/27xxx/CVE-2023-27524.json

GitHub Advisory Database

Also known as / affected packages

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

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