CVE-2023-43643Network attack vector

Script execution via executable elements in comments

Published Oct 9, 2023 · Updated Sep 19, 2024

Mutation XSS in OWASP AntiSamy 1.7.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute script through crafted sanitized HTML. With preserveComments enabled and certain tags allowed, flawed parsing leaves elements inside comment tags executable in sanitized output. An application must render that output in a user's browser, where the script runs in the application's web origin.

CVSS severity6.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Mutation XSS in OWASP AntiSamy 1.7.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute script through crafted sanitized HTML. With preserveComments enabled and certain tags allowed, flawed parsing leaves elements inside comment tags executable in sanitized output. An application must render that output in a user's browser, where the script runs in the application's web origin.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-43643
Published
Oct 9, 2023
Updated
Sep 19, 2024
Vendor
OWASP Foundation
Product
OWASP AntiSamy
Classifications
CWE-79, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 9, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 19, 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=<= 1.7.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

OWASP Foundation · OWASP AntiSamyversion=<= 1.7.3

Published CVSS scores

6.1GitHub Security AdvisoriesCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
6.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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