# CVE-2023-7166: Novel-Plus HTTP POST Request updateUserInfo cross site scripting

> Attackers can inject malicious scripts via the nickName field in user profile updates, potentially executing code in victim browsers.

- **Severity:** Low 3.5 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 29 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3736-rg79-m6vq

## What is CVE-2023-7166?

CVE-2023-7166 is a low-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Xxyopen Novel-Plus, published on 29 Dec 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

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in Novel-Plus up to 4.2.0. This affects an unknown part of the file /user/updateUserInfo of the component HTTP POST Request Handler. The manipulation of the argument nickName leads to cross site scripting. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of the patch is c62da9bb3a9b3603014d0edb436146512631100d. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. The identifier VDB-249201 was assigned to this vulnerability.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-7166?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Xxyopen Novel-Plus.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-7166?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-7166 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-7166 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-7166 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Xxyopen Novel-Plus

- [CVE-2025-45890](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-45890/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-25274](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-25274/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-24014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24014/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-24018](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24018/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-24021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24021/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-7166 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-7166 is a low-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Xxyopen Novel-Plus, published on 29 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-7166 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Xxyopen Novel-Plus. 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-2023-7166/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-7166/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-7166
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-7166
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-7166

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-7166/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.