# CVE-2023-6970: WP Recipe Maker <= 9.1.0 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via Referer

> Unauthenticated attackers can inject arbitrary web scripts via the Referer header, potentially executing code in victim browsers.

- **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:** 18 Jan 2024
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xgmr-mh2m-j5vq

## What is CVE-2023-6970?

CVE-2023-6970 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in brechtvds WP Recipe Maker, published on 18 Jan 2024. 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

The WP Recipe Maker plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘Referer' header in all versions up to, and including, 9.1.0 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-6970?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Bootstrapped Wp Recipe Maker.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-6970?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-6970 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-6970 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-6970 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WP Recipe Maker <= 9.1.0 - Reflected XSS via Referer Header (nuclei): http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-6970.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in brechtvds WP Recipe Maker

- [CVE-2024-1206](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-1206/): WP Recipe Maker <= 9.1.2 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) SQL Injecton (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-9650](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9650/): WP Recipe Maker <= 9.6.1 - Authenticated (Contributor+) DOM-Based Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'tooltip' (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2024-0383](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0383/): WP Recipe Maker <= 9.1.0 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'group_tag' (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2024-3490](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-3490/): Cross-site scripting in WP Recipe Maker (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2024-0255](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0255/): WP Recipe Maker <= 9.1.0 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via icon_color (medium 6.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-6970 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-6970 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in brechtvds WP Recipe Maker, published on 18 Jan 2024. 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-2023-6970 exists.

Affected product: brechtvds WP Recipe Maker. 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-2023-6970/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6970/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-6970
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6970
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-6970

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6970/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.