# CVE-2023-37538: HCL Digital Experience is susceptible to cross site scripting (XSS)

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in victims' browsers via crafted URLs, potentially leading to session hijacking or data theft.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/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:** 11 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 18 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q5h8-qcmv-qmcq

## What is CVE-2023-37538?

CVE-2023-37538 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in HCL Software Digital Experience, published on 11 Oct 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

HCL Digital Experience is susceptible to cross site scripting (XSS). One subcomponent is vulnerable to reflected XSS. In reflected XSS, an attacker must induce a victim to click on a crafted URL from some delivery mechanism (email, other web site).

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-37538?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hcltech Digital Experience.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-37538?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-37538 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-37538 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-37538 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in HCL Software Digital Experience

- [CVE-2026-21837](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21837/): HCL Digital Experience is affected by an OS command injection vulnerability in the Digital Asset Management API (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2020-14255](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14255/): HCL Digital Experience 9.5 containers include vulnerabilities that could expose sensitive data to unauthorized parties via crafted requests. (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2026-21825](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21825/): HCL Digital Experience Compose is affected by a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the search center (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2026-21826](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21826/): HCL Digital Experience and HCL Digital Experience Compose could be susceptible to Host header injection (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2025-62326](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-62326/): HCL Digital Experience is susceptible to stored cross-site scripting (XSS) (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-37538 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-37538 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in HCL Software Digital Experience, published on 11 Oct 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-37538 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: HCL Software Digital Experience. 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-2023-37538/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37538/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-37538
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-37538
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-37538

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37538/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.