CVE-2023-38040Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Script execution via unsanitized layerstyles parameters

Published Sep 17, 2023 · Updated Sep 25, 2024

Reflected XSS in Revive Adserver 5.4.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute script in a victim's browser via al.php. The al.php delivery script incorporates layerstyles GET parameters into generated HTML, JavaScript, or CSS without sanitizing them. Exploitation requires a victim to load a third-party page containing a script tag for a crafted URL; direct browser requests return plain JavaScript as text.

CVSS severity0.0
None
EPSS probability1.98%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Reflected XSS in Revive Adserver 5.4.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute script in a victim's browser via al.php. The al.php delivery script incorporates layerstyles GET parameters into generated HTML, JavaScript, or CSS without sanitizing them. Exploitation requires a victim to load a third-party page containing a script tag for a crafted URL; direct browser requests return plain JavaScript as text.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38040
Published
Sep 17, 2023
Updated
Sep 25, 2024
Vendor
Revive Adserver Project
Product
Revive Adserver
Classifications
CWE-79, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 25, 2024Record 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=5.4.1 <=5.4.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Revive Adserver Project · Revive Adserverversion=5.4.1 <=5.4.1

Published CVSS scores

6.1NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
0.0Revive Adserver Project TeamCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

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

Public exploit references

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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