# CVE-2017-9070: MODX Revolution cross-site scripting vulnerability

> An attacker with resource edit permissions can inject XSS payloads into post titles, potentially executing malicious scripts in other users' browsers.

- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 May 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7hhg-xj2h-5vq9

## What is CVE-2017-9070?

CVE-2017-9070 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 May 2017. 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 MODX Revolution before 2.5.7, a user with resource edit permissions can inject an XSS payload into the title of any post via the pagetitle parameter to connectors/index.php.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-9070?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including modx/revolution. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `modx/revolution` | Packagist | All versions | 2.5.7 |
| `modx/revolution` | Packagist | All versions | 2.5.7 |

Products: Modx Modx Revolution.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-9070?

Upgrade modx/revolution to 2.5.7 or later.

## Is CVE-2017-9070 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-9070 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-7321](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7321/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-7324](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7324/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-25911](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-25911/): XML External Entity vulnerability in MODX CMS (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2017-9069](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9069/): MODX Revolution allows overwriting .htaccess (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-7322](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7322/): Weak cryptography in n/a (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-9070 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-9070 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 May 2017. 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-2017-9070 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- modx/revolution (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 2.5.7
- modx/revolution (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 2.5.7

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-2017-9070/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9070/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-9070
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-9070
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-9070

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9070/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.