CVE-2023-43643: mXSS in AntiSamy
First published: Mon Oct 09 2023(Updated: )
# Impact There is a potential for a mutation XSS (mXSS) vulnerability in AntiSamy caused by flawed parsing of the HTML being sanitized. To be subject to this vulnerability the `preserveComments` directive must be enabled in your policy file and also allow for certain tags at the same time. As a result, certain crafty inputs can result in elements in comment tags being interpreted as executable when using AntiSamy's sanitized output. # Patches Patched in AntiSamy 1.7.4 and later. See important remediation details in the reference given below. # Workarounds If you cannot upgrade to a fixed version of the library, the following mitigation can be applied until you can upgrade: Manually edit your AntiSamy policy file (e.g., antisamy.xml) by deleting the `preserveComments` directive or setting its value to `false`, if present. Also it would be useful to make AntiSamy remove the `noscript` tag by adding this in your tag definitions under the `<tagrules>` node (or deleting it entirely if present): ```xml <tag name="noscript" action="remove"/> ``` As the previously mentioned policy settings are preconditions for the mXSS attack to work, changing them as recommended should be sufficient to protect you against this vulnerability when using a vulnerable version of this library. However, the existing bug would still be present in AntiSamy or its parser dependency (neko-htmlunit). The safety of this workaround relies on configurations that may change in the future and don't address the root cause of the vulnerability. As such, it is strongly recommended to upgrade to a fixed version of AntiSamy. # For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: Email one of the project co-leaders, listed on the [OWASP AntiSamy project](https://owasp.org/www-project-antisamy/) page, under "Leaders".
Credit: security-advisories@github.com security-advisories@github.com security-advisories@github.com
| Affected Software | Affected Version | How to fix |
|---|---|---|
| Antisamy Project Antisamy | <1.7.4 |
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Reference Links
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the impact of CVE-2023-43643?
The impact of CVE-2023-43643 is a potential for a mutation XSS (mXSS) vulnerability in AntiSamy caused by flawed parsing of the HTML being sanitized.
How can CVE-2023-43643 be exploited?
CVE-2023-43643 can be exploited by enabling the 'preserveComments' directive in your policy file and allowing for certain tags at the same time.
What is the affected software for CVE-2023-43643?
The affected software for CVE-2023-43643 is org.owasp.antisamy:antisamy version up to and including 1.7.3.
What is the severity of CVE-2023-43643?
The severity of CVE-2023-43643 is medium with a CVSS score of 6.1.
How can I fix CVE-2023-43643?
To fix CVE-2023-43643, update to version 1.7.4 of org.owasp.antisamy:antisamy.
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