CVE-2023-1496 is a medium-severity (CVSS 6.5) Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Reflected in imgproxy/imgproxy
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-1496.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Reflected in GitHub repository imgproxy/imgproxy prior to 3.14.0.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3 | all versions | 3.14.0go get github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3@v3.14.0 |
Affected Products
imgproxyevilmartiansResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/imgproxy/imgproxy/v3 to 3.14.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-1496 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Escape or sanitise the affected output on the server side rather than relying on client-side filtering, and add a Content-Security-Policy that blocks inline script execution so injected markup cannot run even if it reaches the page.
How to detect CVE-2023-1496
A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:
nuclei -id cve-2023-1496 -u https://target- Template
- Imgproxy < 3.14.0 - Cross-site Scripting (XSS)
- Severity
- medium
- Impact
- Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser, leading to potential data theft or unauthorized actions.
- Remediation
- Upgrade to Imgproxy version 3.14.0 or later to mitigate this vulnerability.
Template by ProjectDiscovery nuclei-templates (pdteam), MIT licensed. View the full template. Scan only systems you are authorised to test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-1496 in your dependencies?
Find it across Go, including transitive dependencies.