# CVE-2024-5521: Cross-Site Scripting stored in Alkacon OpenCMS

> Attackers with specific roles can upload malicious SVG files to execute JavaScript in other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 May 2024
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024

## What is CVE-2024-5521?

CVE-2024-5521 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Alkacon OpenCMS, published on 30 May 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Two Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities have been discovered in Alkacon's OpenCMS affecting version 16, which could allow a user having the roles of gallery editor or VFS resource manager will have the permission to upload images in the .svg format containing JavaScript code. The code will be executed the moment another user accesses the image.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-5521?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Alkacon Opencms.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-5521?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-5521 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-5521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-5521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Alkacon OpenCMS

- [CVE-2018-8811](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8811/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-11819](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11819/): Alkacon OpenCMS CSV Injection via New User module (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2005-4475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-4475/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2024-42699](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42699/): OpenCMS Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2021-3312](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3312/): XML External Entity Reference in org.opencms:opencms-core (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-5521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-5521 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Alkacon OpenCMS, published on 30 May 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-5521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Alkacon OpenCMS. 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-2024-5521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-5521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-5521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-5521

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.