CVE-2023-48220 [Medium] | Security Vulnerability in Decidim

Decidim is a participatory democracy framework. Starting in version 0.4.rc3 and prior to version 2.0.9 of the `devise_invitable` gem, the invites feature allows users to accept the invitation for an unlimited amount of time through the password reset functionality. This issue creates vulnerable dependencies starting in version 0.0.1.alpha3 and prior to versions 0.26.9, 0.27.5, and 0.28.0 of the `decidim,` `decidim-admin`, and `decidim-system` gems. When using the password reset functionality, the `devise_invitable` gem always accepts the pending invitation if the user has been invited. The only check done is if the user has been invited but the code does not ensure that the pending invitation is still valid as defined by the `invite_for` expiry period. Decidim sets this configuration to `2.weeks` so this configuration should be respected. The bug is in the `devise_invitable` gem and should be fixed there and the dependency should be upgraded in Decidim once the fix becomes available. `devise_invitable` to version `2.0.9` and above fix this issue. Versions 0.26.9, 0.27.5, and 0.28.0 of the `decidim,` `decidim-admin`, and `decidim-system` gems contain this fix. As a workaround, invitations can be cancelled directly from the database.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-06-15	0.58%	0.79%	+0.21%
2	2025-11-21	1.56%	0.58%	-0.97%
3	2025-11-18	—	1.56%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-06-15

0.58%

0.79%

+0.21%

2025-11-21

1.56%

0.58%

-0.97%

2025-11-18

—

1.56%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
5.7	3.1	MEDIUM	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. Privileges required (PR:H) They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off. User interaction (UI:R) A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:N) Service keeps running; no real outage angle.	0.5	5.2	[email protected]
7.4	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:N) Service keeps running; no real outage angle.	2.2	5.2	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

5.7

3.1

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:H): They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
User interaction (UI:R): A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:N): Service keeps running; no real outage angle.

0.5

5.2

[email protected]

7.4

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:N): Service keeps running; no real outage angle.

2.2

5.2

[email protected]

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-48220

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
decidim	decidim	>= 0.0.2, < 0.26.9	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim::::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	>= 0.27.0, < 0.27.5	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim::::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:-::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha3::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha4::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha5::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha6::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha7::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha8::::ruby::*
decidim	decidim	0.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:decidim:decidim:0.0.1:alpha9::::ruby::*
scambra	devise_invitable	>= 0.4.1, < 2.0.9	cpe:2.3:a:scambra:devise_invitable::::::ruby::*
scambra	devise_invitable	0.4.0	cpe:2.3:a:scambra:devise_invitable:0.4.0:-::::ruby::*
scambra	devise_invitable	0.4.0	cpe:2.3:a:scambra:devise_invitable:0.4.0:rc3::::ruby::*
scambra	devise_invitable	0.4.0	cpe:2.3:a:scambra:devise_invitable:0.4.0:rc4::::ruby::*
scambra	devise_invitable	0.4.0	cpe:2.3:a:scambra:devise_invitable:0.4.0:rc5::::ruby::*

References for CVE-2023-48220

URL	Tags
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/blob/d2d390578050772d1bdb6d731395f1afc39dcbfc/decidim-core/config/initializers/devise.rb#L134	Product
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/commit/073e60e2e4224dd81815a784002ebba30f2ebb34	Patch
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/commit/b12800717a689c295a9ea680a38ca9f823d2c454	Patch
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/releases/tag/v0.26.9	Release Notes
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/releases/tag/v0.27.5	Release Notes
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/releases/tag/v0.28.0	Release Notes
https://github.com/decidim/decidim/security/advisories/GHSA-w3q8-m492-4pwp	Mitigation Patch Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/scambra/devise_invitable/blob/41f58970ff76fb64382a9b9ea1bd530f7c3adab2/lib/devise_invitable/models.rb#L198	Product
https://github.com/scambra/devise_invitable/commit/94d859c7de0829bf63f679ae5dd3cab2b866a098	Patch

URL

CVE-2023-48220 | Decidim's devise_invitable gem vulnerable to circumvention of invitation token expiry period

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-48220

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-48220

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-48220

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2023-48220

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-48220

References for CVE-2023-48220