CVE-2022-23536: Cortex provides multi-tenant, long term storage for Prometheus

This month

MEDIUM 6.5WATCHLISTDOWNGRADE

CVE-2022-23536 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) affecting cortex. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Cortex provides multi-tenant, long term storage for Prometheus. A local file inclusion vulnerability exists in Cortex versions 1.13.0, 1.13.1 and 1.14.0, where a malicious actor could remotely read local files as a result of parsing maliciously crafted Alertmanager configurations when submitted to the Alertmanager Set Configuration API. Only users of the Alertmanager service where `-experimental.alertmanager.enable-api` or `enable_api: true` is c

Why this priority

On your watchlist

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	6.5 (Medium)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.8% (top 43%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-73, CWE-184, CWE-641
Published	2022-12-19
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: linuxfoundation

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2022-12-19 22:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 04:30 UTCUpdated Record last modified

linuxfoundation cortex DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.13.0 · 1.13.1 · 1.14.0

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.13.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy cortex || rpm -q cortex || cortex --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 1.13.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison cortex sudo apt install cortex=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.13.0> sudo apt-mark hold cortex

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list cortex sudo dnf downgrade cortex-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.13.0> sudo dnf versionlock add cortex

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2022-23536?

cortex: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2022-23536 being exploited?

CVE-2022-23536 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2022-23536 affect?

CVE-2022-23536 affects cortex. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.5). Cortex provides multi-tenant, long term storage for Prometheus. A local file inclusion vulnerability exists in Cortex versions 1.13.0, 1.13.1 and 1.14.0, where a malicious actor could remotely read local files as a result of parsing malicio

How urgent is CVE-2022-23536?

Priority 42/100. On your watchlist

Software pages

Prometheus vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2023-39069 CRITICAL 9.8 UPGRADE UPGRADE An issue in StrangeBee TheHive v.5.0.8, v.4.1.21 and Cortex v.3.1.6 allows a remote attacker to gain privilege
CVE-2021-36157 MEDIUM 5.3 UPGRADE An issue was discovered in Grafana Cortex through 1.9.0
CVE-2021-31232 MEDIUM 5.5 UPGRADE The Alertmanager in CNCF Cortex before 1.8.1 has a local file disclosure vulnerability when -experimental.aler
CVE-2018-20226 HIGH 7.2 UPGRADE An organization administrator can add a super administrator in THEHIVE PROJECT Cortex before 2.1.3 due to the

References

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