MEDIUM CVSS 5.3
Published: 2026-02-04

CVE-2023-38281

ibm cloud_pak_system Security Advisory (CVE-2023-38281)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2023-38281 impacting ibm cloud_pak_system. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 5.3 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
IBM Cloud Pak System does not set the secure attribute on authorization tokens or session cookies. Attackers may be able to get the cookie values by sending a http:// link to a user or by planting this link in a site the user goes to. The cookie will be sent to the insecure link and the attacker can then obtain the cookie value by snooping the traffic.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
None (I:N)
No system modification impact
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product ibm / cloud_pak_system
Affected Versions 2.3.4.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-209

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2023-38281 impacting ibm cloud_pak_system.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2023-38281.yaml
id: cve-2023-38281

info:
  name: ibm cloud_pak_system - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2023-38281 affecting ibm cloud_pak_system.
    Evaluation: IBM Cloud Pak System does not set the secure attribute on authorization tokens or session cookies. Attackers may be able to get the cookie values by s...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2023-38281
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
    cvss-score: 5.3
    cve-id: CVE-2023-38281
    cwe-id: CWE-209
  tags: cve,cve-2023-38281,ibm,cloud_pak_system,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "cloud_pak_system"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2023-38281.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2023-38281
# Target: ibm cloud_pak_system | CVSS: 5.3 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2023-38281 (ibm cloud_pak_system)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against ibm cloud_pak_system scope (2.3.4.0).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2023-38281.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2023-38281
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install cloud_pak_system 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade cloud_pak_system 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update cloud_pak_system

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i cloud_pak_system 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i cloud_pak_system

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

Authorities
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Distributions
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2023-38281 in ibm cloud_pak_system?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update ibm cloud_pak_system packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2023-38281?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2023-38281?

CVE-2023-38281 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 5.3 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
5.3
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2023-38281
Weakness CWE-209
Vendor ibm
Product cloud_pak_system
Published 2026-02-04
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N