Answer in brief
CVE-2023-27481 records a Medium severity (CVSS 6.5) vulnerability in Directus vulnerable to extraction of password hashes through export querying. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps directus (npm). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.
Analysis pending evidence review
HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.
CVSS is 6.5. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.
Analysis status
Analysis pending evidence review
Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.
The current feed maps directus (npm). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.
| Package | Affected range | Fixed version |
|---|---|---|
| directusnpm | >=0 <9.16.0 | 9.16.0 |
Published upstream
Mar 8, 2023
Evidence: source:osv:source_dates:source-dates:recordSource modified
Sep 10, 2026
Evidence: source:osv:source_dates:source-dates:recordFirst seen by HOL
Sep 10, 2026
### Impact Users with read access to the `password` field in `directus_users` can extract the argon2 password hashes by brute forcing the export functionality combined with a `_starts_with` filter. This allows the user to enumerate the password hashes. ### Patches The problem has been patched by preventing any hashed/concealed field to be filtered against with the `_starts_with` or other string operator. ### Workarounds Ensuring that no user has `read` access to the `password` field in `directus_users` is sufficient to prevent this vulnerability. ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open a Discussion in [directus/directus](https://github.com/directus/directus/discussions/new) * Email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.