CVE-2023-5124Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Stored XSS via unchecked header and footer code

Published Jan 29, 2024 · Updated May 22, 2025

Stored XSS in Softaculous Pagelayer before 1.8.0 allows remote authenticated users to inject JavaScript into post headers or footers. The header and footer code fields store and later render administrator input without enforcing the unfiltered_html capability. Exploitation requires administrator access and a configuration, such as WordPress multisite, that disables unfiltered_html; the script executes when another user visits the affected post.

CVSS severity4.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Stored XSS in Softaculous Pagelayer before 1.8.0 allows remote authenticated users to inject JavaScript into post headers or footers. The header and footer code fields store and later render administrator input without enforcing the unfiltered_html capability. Exploitation requires administrator access and a configuration, such as WordPress multisite, that disables unfiltered_html; the script executes when another user visits the affected post.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5124
Published
Jan 29, 2024
Updated
May 22, 2025
Vendor
Softaculous
Product
Pagelayer
Classifications
CWE-79, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 29, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 22, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=1.3.2 <1.8.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Softaculous · Pagelayerversion=1.3.2 <1.8.0

Published CVSS scores

4.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

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

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo