Is CVE-2023-45132 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2023-45132 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2023-45132 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2023-45132 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-45132?

CVE-2023-45132 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICAL

CVE-2023-45132

CWE-693Published: October 11, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

NAXSI is an open-source maintenance web application firewall (WAF) for NGINX. An issue present starting in version 1.3 and prior to version 1.6 allows someone to bypass the WAF when a malicious `X-Forwarded-For` IP matches `IgnoreIP` `IgnoreCIDR` rules. This old code was arranged to allow older NGINX versions to also support `IgnoreIP` `IgnoreCIDR` when multiple reverse proxies were present. The issue is patched in version 1.6. As a workaround, do not set any `IgnoreIP` `IgnoreCIDR` for older versions.

NVD Source

Risk Analysis

NAXSI WAF versions prior to 1.6 contain a flaw where malicious X-Forwarded-For headers can bypass security rules. This allows attackers to circumvent the firewall, posing a critical risk to protected NGINX environments.

There is no known public exploit for this bypass, and it is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Recommended Action

Upgrade NAXSI to version 1.6 or higher. As a workaround, administrators should avoid setting IgnoreIP or IgnoreCIDR rules.

Generated by the CTIWATCH analysis pipeline from this CVE's metadata (CVSS, EPSS, KEV status, exploit intelligence). Verify against vendor advisories before acting.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-45132 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.