# CVE-2023-20028: Cross-site scripting in Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA)

> Remote attackers can execute cross-site scripting attacks against users of the Cisco Secure Email and Web management interfaces.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** No
- **Published:** 28 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4457-c63h-fr7m

## What is CVE-2023-20028?

CVE-2023-20028 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Cisco Web Security Appliance, published on 28 Jun 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

Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager; Cisco Secure Email Gateway, formerly Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA); and Cisco Secure Web Appliance, formerly Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA), could allow a remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20028?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager, Cisco Secure Email Gateway, Cisco Web Security Appliance.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20028?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20028 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20028 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20028 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Web Security Appliance

- [CVE-2023-20119](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20119/): Cross-site scripting in Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2023-20120](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20120/): Cross-site scripting in Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2021-1561](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1561/): Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager Spam Quarantine Unauthorized Access Vulnerability (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20028 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20028 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Cisco Web Security Appliance, published on 28 Jun 2023. 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-2023-20028 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Web Security Appliance. 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-2023-20028/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20028/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20028
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20028
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20028

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20028/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.