---
id: CVE-2023-4501
title: >-
  User authentication with username and password credentials is ineffective in
  OpenText (Micro Focus) Visual COBOL, COBOL Server, Enterprise Developer, and
  Enterprise Server (including product variants such as Enterprise Test Server),
  vers…
summary: >-
  User authentication with username and password credentials is ineffective in
  OpenText (Micro Focus) Visual COBOL, COBOL Server, Enterprise Developer, and
  Enterprise Server (including product variants such as Enterprise Test Server),
  vers…
severity: critical
cvss: 9.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-253
  - CWE-287
  - CWE-305
  - CWE-358
  - CWE-287
vendor: microfocus
product: cobol_server
affected:
  - cobol_server = 7.0
  - cobol_server = 8.0
  - cobol_server = 9.0
  - enterprise_developer = 7.0
  - enterprise_developer = 8.0
  - enterprise_developer = 9.0
  - enterprise_server = 7.0
  - enterprise_server = 8.0
  - enterprise_server = 9.0
  - enterprise_test_server = 7.0
  - enterprise_test_server = 8.0
  - enterprise_test_server = 9.0
  - visual_cobol = 7.0
  - visual_cobol = 8.0
  - visual_cobol = 9.0
published: '2023-09-12'
updated: '2026-08-04'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4501'
references:
  - url: 'https://portal.microfocus.com/s/article/KM000021287'
    label: security@opentext.com
  - url: 'https://portal.microfocus.com/s/article/KM000021287'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00752
epssPercentile: 0.53524
ingestedAt: '2026-08-04T13:40:03.185Z'
---

## Overview

User authentication with username and password credentials is ineffective in OpenText (Micro Focus) Visual COBOL, COBOL Server, Enterprise Developer, and Enterprise Server (including product variants such as Enterprise Test Server), versions 7.0 patch updates 19 and 20, 8.0 patch updates 8 and 9, and 9.0 patch update 1, when LDAP-based authentication is used with certain configurations. When the vulnerability is active, authentication succeeds with any valid username, regardless of whether the password is correct; it may also succeed with an invalid username (and any password). This allows an attacker with access to the product to impersonate any user.

Mitigations: The issue is corrected in the upcoming patch update for each affected product. Product overlays and workaround instructions are available through OpenText Support. The vulnerable configurations are believed to be uncommon.

Administrators can test for the vulnerability in their installations by attempting to sign on to a Visual COBOL or Enterprise Server component such as ESCWA using a valid username and incorrect password.

## Affected

- `cobol_server = 7.0`
- `cobol_server = 8.0`
- `cobol_server = 9.0`
- `enterprise_developer = 7.0`
- `enterprise_developer = 8.0`
- `enterprise_developer = 9.0`
- `enterprise_server = 7.0`
- `enterprise_server = 8.0`
- `enterprise_server = 9.0`
- `enterprise_test_server = 7.0`
- `enterprise_test_server = 8.0`
- `enterprise_test_server = 9.0`
- `visual_cobol = 7.0`
- `visual_cobol = 8.0`
- `visual_cobol = 9.0`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.