CVE-2023-28447Network attack vector

Browser script execution via incomplete template-literal escaping

Published Mar 28, 2023 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Cross-site scripting in Smarty before 3.1.48 and 4.0.0 through 4.3.0 allows remote attackers to run JavaScript in a user's browser. The escape modifier and its compiler variant omit backtick and ${ sequence escaping in JavaScript mode, allowing untrusted template literals to become executable code. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-controlled content through JavaScript escaping and a user to load the rendered output; script runs in that user's session.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability1.03%
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 Smarty before 3.1.48 and 4.0.0 through 4.3.0 allows remote attackers to run JavaScript in a user's browser. The escape modifier and its compiler variant omit backtick and ${ sequence escaping in JavaScript mode, allowing untrusted template literals to become executable code. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-controlled content through JavaScript escaping and a user to load the rendered output; script runs in that user's session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-28447
Published
Mar 28, 2023
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Smarty
Product
Smarty
Classifications
CWE-79, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 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=< 3.1.48
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 4.0.0, < 4.3.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Smarty · Smartyversion=< 3.1.48; version=>= 4.0.0, < 4.3.1

Published CVSS scores

7.1GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1059.007Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript/JScript

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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