CVE-2023-24538 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-24538 was published on April 6, 2023. It revolves around the issue of backticks not being treated as string delimiters in html/template in Go language.

Understanding CVE-2023-24538

This vulnerability arises from the improper handling of backticks (`) as Javascript string delimiters within templates which leads to the injection of arbitrary Javascript code into the Go template.

What is CVE-2023-24538?

The vulnerability in CVE-2023-24538 occurs when Go template actions are used inside Javascript template literals, leading to the termination of the literal and allowing malicious Javascript code injection.

The Impact of CVE-2023-24538

This vulnerability can potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary Javascript code within the Go template, compromising the security and integrity of the application.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-24538

This vulnerability affects the Go standard library's html/template package versions less than 1.19.8 and 1.20.0-0 less than 1.20.3. The affected program routines include tJS, tJSDelimited, Template.Execute, and Template.ExecuteTemplate.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises due to the lack of proper escaping of backticks when used within Go template actions in Javascript template literals.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Go standard library
Product: html/template
Versions Affected:
html/template less than 1.19.8
html/template 1.20.0-0 less than 1.20.3

Exploitation Mechanism

By injecting malicious Javascript code into Go template actions within Javascript template literals, attackers can exploit this vulnerability to execute unauthorized code.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-24538, immediate steps need to be taken along with long-term security practices and applying necessary patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update the affected versions of the html/template package to versions 1.19.8 or 1.20.3 to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Developers should validate and sanitize input data to prevent code injection attacks. Implement proper input validation and encoding mechanisms to ensure secure application behavior.

Patching and Updates

It is crucial to stay informed about security advisories and apply relevant patches promptly to address vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-24538. Regularly updating dependencies and libraries is essential for maintaining a secure software environment.