# CVE-2016-9757: Cross-site scripting in Nexpose

> Authenticated users can inject scripts into tag names, which execute in other users' browsers when viewed, potentially leading to session hijacking or data theft.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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:** No
- **Published:** 20 Dec 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j654-9mpv-92vg

## What is CVE-2016-9757?

CVE-2016-9757 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Rapid7 Nexpose, published on 20 Dec 2016. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In the Create Tags page of the Rapid7 Nexpose version 6.4.12 user interface, any authenticated user who has the capability to create tags can inject cross-site scripting (XSS) elements in the tag name field. Once this tag is viewed in the Tag Detail page of the Rapid7 Nexpose 6.4.12 UI by another authenticated user, the script is run in that user's browser context.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-9757?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rapid7 Nexpose.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-9757?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-9757 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-9757 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-9757 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Rapid7 Nexpose

- [CVE-2017-5264](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5264/): Cross-site request forgery in Nexpose (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-5638](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5638/): Rapid7 Nexpose Insufficient Session Management (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2017-5243](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5243/): Weak cryptography in Nexpose hardware appliance (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2017-5232](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5232/): Other in Nexpose (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2017-5230](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5230/): Hardcoded credentials in Nexpose (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-9757 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-9757 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Rapid7 Nexpose, published on 20 Dec 2016. 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-2016-9757 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rapid7 Nexpose. 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-2016-9757/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9757/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-9757
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9757
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-9757

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9757/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.