# CVE-2023-4189: Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Reflected in instantsoft/icms2

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

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 9 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cx85-vw9h-mf4j

## What is CVE-2023-4189?

CVE-2023-4189 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in instantsoft/icms2, published on 5 Aug 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Reflected in GitHub repository instantsoft/icms2 prior to 2.16.1-git.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-4189?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Instantcms Instantcms.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-4189?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-4189 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-4189 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-4189 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in instantsoft/icms2

- [CVE-2023-4188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4188/): SQL Injection in instantsoft/icms2 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-10051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-10051/): InstantCMS <= 1.6 Remote PHP Code Execution (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2023-4704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4704/): External Control of System or Configuration Setting in instantsoft/icms2 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-28281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28281/): InstantCMS has Multiple CSRF Vulnerabilities (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2023-4652](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4652/): Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Stored in instantsoft/icms2 (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-4189 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-4189 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in instantsoft/icms2, published on 5 Aug 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, 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-2023-4189 exists.

Affected product: instantsoft/icms2. 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-2023-4189/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4189/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-4189
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4189
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-4189

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4189/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.