CVE-2017-20188Network attack vector

Persistent XSS via unencoded error messages

Published Jan 2, 2024 · Updated Jun 3, 2025

Cross-site scripting in Zimbra zm-ajax 8.8.0 and 8.8.1 allows remote authenticated users to execute script via error messages. XFormItem.prototype.setError assigns the message argument directly to an error container's innerHTML, so persistent markup in form-field error text executes in the browser. Exploitation requires low-privileged access, high-complexity input, and victim interaction, enabling modification of page content in the victim's session.

CVSS severity4.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cross-site scripting in Zimbra zm-ajax 8.8.0 and 8.8.1 allows remote authenticated users to execute script via error messages. XFormItem.prototype.setError assigns the message argument directly to an error container's innerHTML, so persistent markup in form-field error text executes in the browser. Exploitation requires low-privileged access, high-complexity input, and victim interaction, enabling modification of page content in the victim's session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2017-20188
Published
Jan 2, 2024
Updated
Jun 3, 2025
Vendor
Zimbra
Product
zm-ajax
Classifications
CWE-79, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 2, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=8.8.0
  2. Affected versionversion=8.8.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Zimbra · zm-ajaxversion=8.8.0; version=8.8.1

Published CVSS scores

2.6VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
2.1VulDBAV:N/AC:H/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
2.6VulDBCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
4.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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