# CVE-2019-16146: Gophish XSS Vulnerability

> Attackers can inject malicious scripts via usernames in Gophish, potentially leading to session hijacking or code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Sep 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9h9f-9q8g-6764, GO-2023-1936

## What is CVE-2019-16146?

CVE-2019-16146 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Sep 2019. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Gophish through 0.8.0 allows XSS via a username.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-16146?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/gophish/gophish. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/gophish/gophish` | Go | All versions | 0.9.0 |
| `github.com/gophish/gophish` | Go | All versions | 0.9.0 |
| `github.com/gophish/gophish` | Go | All versions | 0.9.0 |

Products: Getgophish Gophish.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-16146?

Upgrade github.com/gophish/gophish to 0.9.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2019-16146 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-16146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-24707](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24707/): Other in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-70963](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-70963/): Gophish is vulnerable to Incorrect Access Control (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2022-45003](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45003/): Gophish vulnerable to Denial of Service via crafted payload involving autofocus (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2020-24713](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24713/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2020-24711](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24711/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-16146 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-16146 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Sep 2019. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-16146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/gophish/gophish (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.9.0
- github.com/gophish/gophish (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.9.0
- github.com/gophish/gophish (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.9.0

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-2019-16146/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16146/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-16146
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-16146
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-16146

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16146/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.