CVE-2023-40024 — scancodeio
MEDIUMCVE-2023-40024 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.4) Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in scancodeio. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for scancodeio — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in scancode.io license endpoint
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-2023-40024.
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
scancodeioReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
In the /license/ endpoint, the detailed view key is not properly validated and sanitized, which can result in a potential cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability when attempting to access a detailed license view that does not exist.
Details
In the /license/ endpoint, the license_details_view function is vulnerable to a potential cross-site scripting (XSS) attack due to inadequate validation and sanitization of the key parameter. This vulnerability arises when attempting to access a key with malicious javascript.
def license_details_view(request, key):
"""
Display all available information about a given license `key` followed by
the full license text.
"""
licenses = get_licenses()
try:
data = saneyaml.dump(licenses[key].to_dict())
text = licenses[key].text
except KeyError:
return HttpResponseNotFound(f"License {key} not found.") # Leads to cross-site scripting when key is malicious javascript
return HttpResponse(f"<pre>{data}</pre><hr><pre>{text}</pre>")
PoC
- Access following endpoint on scancode.io instance: http://localhost/license/%3Cscript%3Ealert(document.cookie);%3C/script%3E/
Impact
Attackers can exploit the vulnerability to inject malicious scripts into the response generated by the license_details_view function. When unsuspecting users visit the page, their browsers will execute the injected scripts, leading to unauthorized actions, session hijacking, or stealing sensitive information.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | scancodeio | all versions | 32.5.2pip install --upgrade 'scancodeio==32.5.2' |
Affected Products
scancode.ionexbResearch 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 scancodeio, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update scancodeio to 32.5.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-40024 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-40024 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.