# CVE-2023-38040: Cross-site scripting in Revive Adserver

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in victim browsers via reflected XSS in Revive Adserver, potentially leading to session hijacking or data theft.

- **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:** 17 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 25 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rxrx-4m3m-4p5w

## What is CVE-2023-38040?

CVE-2023-38040 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Revive-Adserver Revive Adserver, published on 17 Sep 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

A reflected XSS vulnerability exists in Revive Adserver 5.4.1 and earlier versions..

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38040?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Revive-Adserver Revive Adserver.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38040?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38040 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38040 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38040 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Revive Adserver 5.4.1 - Cross-Site Scripting (nuclei): http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-38040.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Revive-Adserver Revive Adserver

- [CVE-2016-9124](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9124/): Security feature bypass in Revive Adserver All versions before 3.2.3 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-9125](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9125/): Auth bypass in Revive Adserver All versions before 3.2.3 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-5830](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5830/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-9470](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9470/): Other in Revive Adserver All versions before 3.2.5 and 4.0.0 (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2026-50741](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50741/): Code injection in Adserver (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38040 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38040 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Revive-Adserver Revive Adserver, published on 17 Sep 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-2023-38040 exists.

Affected product: Revive-Adserver Revive Adserver. 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-2023-38040/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38040/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38040
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38040
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38040

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38040/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.