CVE-2023-36811: Archive spoofing vulnerability in borgbackup
Summary
CVE-2023-36811: Archive spoofing vulnerability in borgbackup. Affects borgbackup versions < 1.2.5. Fixed in 1.2.5. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- borgbackup · Debian:11
The same CVE-2023-36811 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
borgbackup is an open-source backup software that provides deduplication and compression capabilities. It allows users to create and manage backups of their files and directories. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-36811 affects all versions of borgbackup prior to 1.2.5.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in borgbackup is related to a flaw in its cryptographic authentication scheme. It enables an attacker to create fake archives and potentially cause data loss in the backup repository. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs to be able to insert files into backups without additional headers and gain write access to the repository. However, the attacker cannot access plaintext or compromise the authenticity of existing archives. While creating plausible fake archives may be challenging for large archives, it is feasible for empty or small archives.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 1.4.5 as of 23 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "borgbackup==1.4.5"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.2.5
This is the first release that contains the fix.
pip install --upgrade "borgbackup==1.2.5"Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
To avoid data loss after an attack, it is recommended to review the archives for valid timestamps and expected contents after running the 'borg check --repair' command and before executing 'borg prune'. This step helps identify any potential tampering with the backups.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in borgbackup allows attackers to create fake archives and potentially cause data loss in the backup repository. Users should upgrade to version 1.2.5 or later and follow the provided upgrade procedure. It is also recommended to review the archives for any tampering after running 'borg check --repair'. For further support on vulnerability remediation, contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for borgbackup →
FAQ
borgbackup is an open-source backup software that provides deduplication and compression capabilities. It allows users to create and manage backups of their files and directories.
The vulnerability allows an attacker to create fake archives and potentially cause data loss in the backup repository. However, it does not disclose plaintext or compromise the authenticity of existing archives.
All versions of borgbackup prior to 1.2.5 are affected by this vulnerability.
To fix this vulnerability, upgrade to borgbackup version 1.2.5 or later and follow the provided upgrade procedure.
A workaround to avoid data loss after an attack is to review the archives for valid timestamps and expected contents after running 'borg check --repair' and before executing 'borg prune'.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for borgbackup.
