CVE-2023-5891Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Browser script execution via unescaped form labels

Published Nov 1, 2023 · Updated Feb 27, 2025

Reflected XSS in Public Knowledge Project's PKP Web Application Library before 3.3.0-16 allows remote authenticated users to run script. Three bulk-email and site-configuration form constructors place context or user-group names into field labels without HTML encoding. Low-privileged access to supply a crafted name and a victim opening an affected form are required, enabling script execution in the victim's browser session.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.40%
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

Reflected XSS in Public Knowledge Project's PKP Web Application Library before 3.3.0-16 allows remote authenticated users to run script. Three bulk-email and site-configuration form constructors place context or user-group names into field labels without HTML encoding. Low-privileged access to supply a crafted name and a victim opening an affected form are required, enabling script execution in the victim's browser session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5891
Published
Nov 1, 2023
Updated
Feb 27, 2025
Vendor
Public Knowledge Project
Product
PKP Web Application Library
Classifications
CWE-79, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 1, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 27, 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=unspecified <3.3.0-16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Public Knowledge Project · PKP Web Application Libraryversion=unspecified <3.3.0-16

Published CVSS scores

5.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
5.4huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

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

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