CVE-2023-45818 : Security Advisory and Response

A Cross-site Scripting vulnerability has been discovered in TinyMCE's undo/redo, getContent API, resetContent API, and Autosave plugin.

Understanding CVE-2023-45818

This CVE involves a mutation cross-site scripting (mXSS) vulnerability in TinyMCE's core functionality.

What is CVE-2023-45818?

TinyMCE, an open-source rich text editor, is susceptible to a cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows crafted HTML snippets to bypass XSS sanitization and execute malicious payloads.

The Impact of CVE-2023-45818

The vulnerability enables an attacker to inject and execute malicious scripts, compromising the security and integrity of web applications that utilize affected versions of TinyMCE.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-45818

This section provides insights into the vulnerability's description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

When carefully-crafted HTML snippets evade XSS sanitization and undergo string manipulation within the undo stack, they can be restored maliciously, leading to cross-site scripting attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: TinyMCE
Product: TinyMCE
Affected Versions:
< 5.10.8

= 6.0.0, < 6.7.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the vulnerability by leveraging the undo/redo functionality to inject and execute XSS payloads, potentially compromising user data and system integrity.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems against CVE-2023-45818 by implementing the following security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are strongly urged to update to TinyMCE versions 5.10.8 or 6.7.1 to mitigate the vulnerability's exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Maintain updated software versions, conduct regular security audits, and educate users on safe HTML practices to enhance overall system security.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security patches and updates from TinyMCE to address potential vulnerabilities and strengthen system defenses.