CVE-2023-6189
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 · uneditedMissing access permissions checks in the M-Files server before 23.11.13156.0 allow attackers to perform data write and export jobs using the M-Files API methods.
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 · moderate confidenceMissing authorization checks in M-Files server versions prior to 23.11.13156.0 allow authenticated or unauthenticated attackers to perform unauthorized data write and export operations via M-Files API methods. This is a broken access control vulnerability in the API layer.
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< 23.11.13156.0CVSS 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
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
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 M-Files Server versionLocate the installed M-Files Server version through the M-Files admin interface, server configuration files, or by querying the server about its software version. Common methods include checking the M-Files Admin application or reviewing installed program information on the server.Affected if The installed version is any version prior to 23.11.13156.0 (e.g., 23.10.x, 23.9.x, earlier releases).
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Confirm M-Files API is accessibleVerify whether the M-Files API endpoints are exposed and reachable on the M-Files Server. This typically involves checking if the API service is running and network-accessible, often on ports 443, 80, or a custom port configured during M-Files installation.Affected if The M-Files API is accessible from the network (even internally) and the server version is below 23.11.13156.0.
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Review API authentication configurationExamine the M-Files Server authentication settings for the API layer. Check whether anonymous access or weak authentication is permitted for API methods, particularly for data write and export operations.Affected if Anonymous access is enabled for the API, or authentication is not properly enforced on write and export API methods.
The environment is affected if M-Files Server version is below 23.11.13156.0 AND the API is accessible, regardless of authentication configuration since the flaw allows both authenticated and unauthenticated access.
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 · scoped23.11.13156.0
Upgrade M-Files server to version 23.11.13156.0 or later to obtain the patch. Additionally, review API access controls and consider restricting API exposure to trusted networks or implementing additional authentication layers.
M Files Server 23.11.13156.0 or later
- Identify the current M Files Server version by checking the server administration interface or installed software inventory
- Download M Files Server version 23.11.13156.0 or later from the official M Files portal (empower.m-files.com or product.m-files.com)
- Schedule a maintenance window for the upgrade following standard backup procedures
- Stop the M Files Server service before performing the upgrade
- Install the new version (23.11.13156.0 or later) using the standard M Files installer
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the server version in the administration interface
- Confirm that the API permission checks are now properly enforced by testing write and export operations with non-privileged accounts
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-6189 — 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-2023-6189 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
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