# CVE-2023-27293: Cross-site scripting in OpenCATS

> An unauthenticated attacker can inject malicious JavaScript into questionnaire answers, leading to cookie theft and unauthorized actions when reviewed by authenticated users.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Feb 2023
- **Updated:** 21 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hc89-xf9q-xh2p

## What is CVE-2023-27293?

CVE-2023-27293 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in OpenCATS, published on 28 Feb 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Improper neutralization of input during web page generation allows an unauthenticated attacker to submit malicious Javascript as the answer to a questionnaire which would then be executed when an authenticated user reviews the candidate's submission. This could be used to steal other users’ cookies and force users to make actions without their knowledge.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-27293?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Opencats Opencats.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-27293?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-27293 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-27293 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-27293 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in OpenCATS

- [CVE-2022-48011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48011/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-43019](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-43019/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-41560](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41560/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-25294](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25294/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-13358](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-13358/): XML external entity in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-27293 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-27293 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in OpenCATS, published on 28 Feb 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, 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-2023-27293 exists.

Affected product: OpenCATS. 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-2023-27293/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27293/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-27293
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27293
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-27293

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27293/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.