# CVE-2012-2253: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query parameter in Mahara's group members page, potentially leading to session hijacking or malicious actions.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Nov 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8v99-pr2q-2j4p

## What is CVE-2012-2253?

CVE-2012-2253 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Mahara Mahara, published on 24 Nov 2012. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in group/members.php in Mahara 1.5.x before 1.5.7 and 1.6.x before 1.6.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query parameter.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-2253?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mahara Mahara.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-2253?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2012-2253 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-2253 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Mahara Mahara

- [CVE-2022-45134](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45134/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-44544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-44544/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-40849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40849/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-1000152](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000152/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-1000153](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000153/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-2253 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-2253 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Mahara Mahara, published on 24 Nov 2012. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-2253 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Mahara Mahara. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2253/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2253/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2253
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2253
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-2253

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2253/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.