CVE-2023-32070 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9) CWE-83 vulnerability in org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml. A fix is available for org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Neutralization of Script in Attributes in XWiki (X)HTML renderers
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.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-32070.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2023-32070 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,166 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml☕org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-core-rendering-api☕org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-html☕org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-html5☕org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-annotatedxhtml☕org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-annotatedhtml5☕org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-annotation-coreReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform. Prior to version 14.6-rc-1, HTML rendering didn't check for dangerous attributes/attribute values. This allowed cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via attributes and link URLs, e.g., supported in XWiki syntax. This has been patched in XWiki 14.6-rc-1. There are no known workarounds apart from upgrading to a fixed version.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml | all versions | 14.6-rc-1org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml:14.6-rc-1 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-core-rendering-api | all versions | No fix |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-html | all versions | 14.6-rc-1org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-html:14.6-rc-1 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-html5 | all versions | 14.6-rc-1org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-html5:14.6-rc-1 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-annotatedxhtml | all versions | 14.6-rc-1org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-annotatedxhtml:14.6-rc-1 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-annotatedhtml5 | all versions | 14.6-rc-1org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-annotatedhtml5:14.6-rc-1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml to 14.6-rc-1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-32070 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2023-32070 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2023-32070. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-32070 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2023-32070 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.