# CVE-2023-5562: Unsafe default allows for cross-site scripting attacks in KNIME Server and KNIME Business Hub

> Unsafe default configuration in KNIME Analytics Platform allows cross-site scripting attacks via unsanitized JavaScript in view nodes.

- **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:** 12 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 18 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4g9c-4jmr-xrqp

## What is CVE-2023-5562?

CVE-2023-5562 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in KNIME Analytics Platform, published on 12 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

An unsafe default configuration in KNIME Analytics Platform before 5.2.0 allows for a cross-site scripting attack. When KNIME Analytics Platform is used as an executor for either KNIME Server or KNIME Business Hub several JavaScript-based view nodes do not sanitize the data that is displayed by default. If the data to be displayed contains JavaScript this code is executed in the browser and can perform any operations that the current user is allowed to perform silently.

KNIME Analytics Platform already has configuration options with which sanitization of data can be actived, see  https://docs.knime.com/latest/webportal_admin_guide/index.html#html-sanitization-webportal https://docs.knime.com/latest/webportal_admin_guide/index.html#html-sanitization-webportal . However, these are off by default which allows for cross-site scripting attacks.

KNIME Analytics Platform 5.2.0 will enable sanitization by default. For all previous releases we recommend users to add the corresponding settings to the executor's knime.ini.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5562?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Knime Knime Analytics Platform.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5562?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-5562 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-5562 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5562 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in KNIME Analytics Platform

- [CVE-2022-31500](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31500/): Misconfiguration in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-44749](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-44749/): Opening workflows from untrusted resources may override arbitrary file system contents (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2021-45096](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-45096/): XML external entity in n/a (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5562 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5562 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in KNIME Analytics Platform, published on 12 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-2023-5562 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: KNIME Analytics Platform. 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-2023-5562/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5562/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5562
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5562
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5562

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5562/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.