# CVE-2023-0422: Article Directory <= 1.3 - Admin+ Stored XSS

> Administrators can inject malicious scripts via unsanitized settings in the Article Directory plugin, potentially compromising other admin accounts in multisite environments.

- **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:** 10 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 5 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xhhx-vhgj-8jwx

## What is CVE-2023-0422?

CVE-2023-0422 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown Article Directory, published on 10 Apr 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Article Directory WordPress plugin through 1.3 does not properly sanitize the `publish_terms_text` setting before displaying it in the administration panel, which may enable administrators to conduct Stored XSS attacks in multisite contexts.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0422?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Article Directory Project Article Directory.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0422?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-0422 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-0422 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-0422 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-0422 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-0422 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown Article Directory, published on 10 Apr 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-0422 exists.

Affected product: Unknown Article Directory. 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-2023-0422/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0422/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-0422
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0422
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0422

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0422/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.