# CVE-2023-1853: SourceCodester Online Payroll System employee_edit.php cross site scripting

> Remote attackers can inject malicious scripts into the employee edit page of the Online Payroll System, potentially compromising user sessions.

- **Severity:** Low 3.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/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:** 5 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 10 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g69q-mhwg-fjq7

## What is CVE-2023-1853?

CVE-2023-1853 is a low-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in SourceCodester Online Payroll System, published on 5 Apr 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in SourceCodester Online Payroll System 1.0. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file /admin/employee_edit.php. The manipulation of the argument of leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier VDB-224993 was assigned to this vulnerability.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-1853?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Online Payroll System Project Online Payroll System.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-1853?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-1853 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-1853 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-1853 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in SourceCodester Online Payroll System

- [CVE-2023-1845](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1845/): SourceCodester Online Payroll System employee_row.php sql injection (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2023-1846](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1846/): SourceCodester Online Payroll System deduction_row.php sql injection (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2023-1847](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1847/): SourceCodester Online Payroll System attendance.php sql injection (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2023-1848](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1848/): SourceCodester Online Payroll System attendance_row.php sql injection (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2023-1849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1849/): SourceCodester Online Payroll System cashadvance_row.php sql injection (medium 6.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-1853 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-1853 is a low-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in SourceCodester Online Payroll System, published on 5 Apr 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, 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-2023-1853 exists.

Affected product: SourceCodester Online Payroll System. 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-2023-1853/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1853/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-1853
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1853
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-1853

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1853/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.