# CVE-2023-5626: Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in pkp/ojs

> Attackers can trick authenticated users into performing unintended actions in Open Journal Systems via Cross-Site Request Forgery.

- **Severity:** Low 3.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9m4v-rfw4-5c96

## What is CVE-2023-5626?

CVE-2023-5626 is a low-severity vulnerability in pkp/ojs, published on 17 Oct 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in GitHub repository pkp/ojs prior to 3.3.0-16.

Weakness: CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5626?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sfu Open Journal System.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5626?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-5626 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-5626 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-5626 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in pkp/ojs

- [CVE-2019-19909](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19909/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-12229](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12229/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5626 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5626 is a low-severity vulnerability in pkp/ojs, published on 17 Oct 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, 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-2023-5626 exists.

Affected product: pkp/ojs. 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-2023-5626/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5626/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5626
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5626
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5626

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5626/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.