CVE-2023-32692
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedCodeIgniter is a PHP full-stack web framework. This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when you use Validation Placeholders. The vulnerability exists in the Validation library, and validation methods in the controller and in-model validation are also vulnerable because they use the Validation library internally. This issue is patched in version 4.3.5.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceCodeIgniter's Validation library contains a code injection vulnerability in Validation Placeholders that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The flaw affects the core Validation library and extends to controller validation methods and in-model validation since they internally leverage the vulnerable Validation library. This is a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 4.3.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed CodeIgniter versionCheck the system/CodeIgniter.php file or run 'composer show codeigniter/framework' or 'composer show codeigniter4/framework' to see the installed version numberAffected if The installed version is less than 4.3.5 (for example, 4.3.4, 4.3.3, 4.2.x, etc.)
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Search for Validation Placeholder usage in application codeSearch codebase for patterns like {param:} or {field:} used within validation rules, particularly in controller $this->validate() calls or model validation methodsAffected if The application uses Validation Placeholders in any validation ruleset
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Inspect controller validation implementationReview controllers that call $this->validate() or use $this->request->getPost() with validation rules containing placeholders like {param:...}Affected if Controllers use validation with placeholder syntax in rule definitions
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Check model validation implementationsExamine any model classes that define $validationRules or call the Validation service with custom rules containing placeholdersAffected if Models contain validation rules using placeholder syntax
You are affected if your CodeIgniter version is below 4.3.5 AND your application uses Validation Placeholders in any controller or model validation rules.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped4.3.5
Upgrade CodeIgniter to version 4.3.5 or later to patch the Validation library vulnerability. Until upgrade is possible, avoid using Validation Placeholders and implement strict input validation as a compensating control.
CodeIgniter 4.3.5 or later
- Back up your entire CodeIgniter application and database before upgrading
- Verify your current CodeIgniter version by checking the system/CodeIgniter/CodeIgniter.php file or running composer show
- Run 'composer update' to upgrade to the latest version, or specify 'composer require codeigniter4/framework:4.3.5' to upgrade to the exact patched version
- Clear any cached files (application/cache, writable/cache) after upgrading
- Test your application's validation functionality thoroughly to ensure the upgrade did not break existing features
- Ensure any third-party libraries compatible with CodeIgniter 4.x are also updated
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,328.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32692 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-32692 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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