CVE-2023-48365
CVE-2023-48365 is a security flaw in Qlik Sense. Attackers can run their own code on Qlik Sense from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 13 Jan 2025, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
Qlik Sense is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Qlik has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an HTTP tunneling in Qlik Sense. In its words: “Qlik Sense contains an HTTP tunneling vulnerability that allows an attacker to escalate privileges and execute HTTP requests on the backend server hosting the software.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows before August 2023 Patch 2 allows unauthenticated remote code execution, aka QB-21683. Due to improper validation of HTTP headers, a remote attacker is able to elevate their privilege by tunneling HTTP requests, allowing them to execute HTTP requests on the backend server that hosts the repository application. The fixed versions are August 2023 Patch 2, May 2023 Patch 6, February 2023 Patch 10, November 2022 Patch 12, August 2022 Patch 14, May 2022 Patch 16, February 2022 Patch 15, and November 2021 Patch 17. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2023-41265.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-444, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.9 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Qlik’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Qlik Sense.
Most families won’t have Qlik Sense; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 13 Jan 2025, 425 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 Feb 2025 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 48%. That’s in the top 2% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Qlik has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Qlik Sense is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 Feb 2025 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.9.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 48%.[4] |
See also
Other Qlik Sense flaws
- CVE-2023-41266: path traversal ·
- CVE-2023-41265: HTTP tunneling ·
Similar flaws
- CVE-2026-48710, Kludex Starlette: HTTP request/response smuggling ·
- CVE-2022-22536, SAP products: HTTP request smuggling ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2024-12686, BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS): OS command injection ·
Every Qlik flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in January 2025
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Qlik Sense HTTP Tunneling Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 13 Jan 2025.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2023-48365 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 15 Nov 2023.
- ^ Qlik. Advisories and fixes: community.qlik.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.477, percentile 98.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2023-48365”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.