# CVE-2020-23234: Cross Site Scripting in LavaLite CMS

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in LavaLite CMS via the Menu Blocks feature, potentially leading to session hijacking or site defacement.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 26 Jul 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v2f3-f8x4-m3w8

## What is CVE-2020-23234?

CVE-2020-23234 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 26 Jul 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabiity exists in LavaLite CMS 5.8.0 via the Menu Blocks feature, which can be bypassed by using HTML event handlers, such as "ontoggle,".

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-23234?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `lavalite/cms` | Packagist | All versions to 5.8.0 | None |
| `lavalite/cms` | Packagist | All versions to 5.8.0 | None |

Products: Lavalite Lavalite.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-23234?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-23234 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-23234 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-23234 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-27238](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27238/): LavaLite vulnerable to web cache poisoning (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-70866](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-70866/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-36983](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36983/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-36984](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36984/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2022-42188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42188/): Lavalite vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read via Directory Traversal (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-23234 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-23234 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 26 Jul 2021. 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-2020-23234 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- lavalite/cms (Packagist): affected all versions up to 5.8.0; no fix listed
- lavalite/cms (Packagist): affected all versions up to 5.8.0; no fix listed

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-2020-23234/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-23234/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-23234
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-23234
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-23234

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-23234/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.