CVE-2023-23630 : What You Need to Know

This CVE involves a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in the Express API within Eta, an embedded JS templating engine used in Node, Deno, and the browser. The vulnerability has been addressed, and users are advised to upgrade to version 2.0.0 to mitigate the risk.

Understanding CVE-2023-23630

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-23630, including the vulnerability description, impact, affected systems, and mitigation techniques.

What is CVE-2023-23630?

CVE-2023-23630 is categorized as a CWE-79 vulnerability, specifically related to the improper neutralization of input during web page generation, also known as Cross-site Scripting (XSS). The vulnerability affects users utilizing the Express API in Eta.

The Impact of CVE-2023-23630

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as high, with a CVSS base score of 8.6. While the confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, the availability impact is high. Attack complexity is considered low, and no user interaction or special privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-23630

In this section, we will explore the technical aspects of CVE-2023-23630, including vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in the Express API of Eta allows for a Cross-site Scripting (XSS) attack, potentially leading to unauthorized access or malicious code execution.

Affected Systems and Versions

Users of the Eta templating engine with versions prior to 2.0.0 are susceptible to this XSS vulnerability. It is crucial to update to version 2.0.0 to safeguard against potential exploits.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by injecting malicious scripts into user-generated content or inputs, which are not properly sanitized before being rendered on web pages. This can lead to the execution of unauthorized scripts in the context of the user's browser.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-23630 and prevent potential security risks, users and developers are advised to take the following measures:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to version 2.0.0 of the Eta templating engine to patch the vulnerability.
Avoid passing user-supplied content directly to the

res.render

function to mitigate XSS risks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Follow secure coding practices to sanitize and validate user inputs before rendering them on web pages.
Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and address potential risks proactively.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and updates from Eta-dev. Regularly update the Eta templating engine to the latest version to ensure that known vulnerabilities are resolved and security patches are applied promptly.