# CVE-2026-23643: CakePHP PaginatorHelper::limitControl() vulnerable to reflected cross-site-scripting

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in user browsers via reflected XSS in CakePHP's PaginatorHelper limit control.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 16 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qh8m-9qxx-53m5, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23643

## What is CVE-2026-23643?

CVE-2026-23643 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in cakephp, published on 16 Jan 2026. 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

CakePHP is a rapid development framework for PHP. The PaginatorHelper::limitControl() method has a cross-site-scripting vulnerability via query string parameter manipulation. This issue has been fixed in 5.2.12 and 5.3.1.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23643?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including cakephp/cakephp. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 5.2.10 | 5.2.12 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 5.2.10 | 5.2.12 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 5.3.0 | 5.3.1 |
| `cakephp/cakephp` | Packagist | From 5.3.0 | 5.3.1 |

Products: Cakephp Cakephp.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23643?

Upgrade cakephp/cakephp to a fixed version for your release line: 5.2.12 or 5.3.1.

## Is CVE-2026-23643 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-23643 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in cakephp

- [CVE-2023-22727](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22727/): Database Query::offset() and limit() vulnerable to SQL injection in cakephp (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-35239](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35239/): CakePHP allows method override parameters to bypass CSRF checks (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2015-8379](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-8379/): CakePHP might allow remote attackers to bypass CSRF protection mechanism via the _method parameter (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-11458](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11458/): Unsafe deserialization in SmtpTransport in CakePHP (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2016-4793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4793/): CakePHP allows remote attackers to spoof their IP (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23643 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23643 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in cakephp, published on 16 Jan 2026. 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-2026-23643 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 5.2.10; fixed in 5.2.12
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 5.2.10; fixed in 5.2.12
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 5.3.0; fixed in 5.3.1
- cakephp/cakephp (Packagist): affected from 5.3.0; fixed in 5.3.1

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-2026-23643/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23643/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23643
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23643
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23643

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23643/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.