Cross-site Scripting Vulnerability in modoboa
Summary
CVE-2023-5688: modoboa Cross-site Scripting vulnerability. Affects modoboa versions < 2.2.2. Fixed in 2.2.2. How to fix ↓
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Background
modoboa is an open-source email hosting and management platform written in Python. It provides a web-based interface for managing email domains, mailboxes, aliases, and other related features. The platform is widely used by organizations and individuals to set up and manage their email services. However, a Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been discovered in modoboa versions prior to 2.2.2.
Vulnerability Detail
The Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in modoboa allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users. This can lead to various attacks, such as stealing sensitive information, session hijacking, or performing actions on behalf of the user. The vulnerability originates from improper input sanitization, allowing user-supplied data to be interpreted as code by the browser. The impact of this vulnerability is critical, as it can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 2.11.1 as of 23 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "modoboa==2.11.1"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
2.2.2
This is the first release that contains the fix.
pip install --upgrade "modoboa==2.2.2"Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If upgrading to the latest version is not immediately feasible, a temporary workaround is to implement input validation and sanitization measures on user-supplied data. This can help mitigate the risk of XSS attacks. Here is an example of input sanitization using the Python Django framework:
from django.utils.html import escape
user_input = request.GET.get('input')
sanitized_input = escape(user_input)
This code snippet uses the escape function from Django's utils.html module to sanitize user input and prevent it from being interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code.
Conclusion
The Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in modoboa versions prior to 2.2.2 poses a critical risk to the security of affected systems. It is crucial to upgrade to the latest version or apply the recommended workaround to mitigate the risk of exploitation. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for modoboa →
FAQ
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) is a type of security vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users. These scripts can be used to steal sensitive information, perform actions on behalf of the user, or redirect them to malicious websites.
The modoboa XSS vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into the modoboa web interface. If a user interacts with the affected pages, the injected scripts can execute in their browser, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or other malicious activities.
At the time of this advisory, there is no known public exploit for the modoboa XSS vulnerability. However, it is important to apply the recommended fix or workaround to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
No, only modoboa versions prior to 2.2.2 are affected by this XSS vulnerability. It is recommended to upgrade to the latest version to ensure the security of your modoboa installation.
You can find more information about the modoboa XSS vulnerability, including the fix and any additional details, in the official advisory published by the modoboa project. The advisory can be accessed at: https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2023/10/GHSA-pqgm-9g82-wcm7/GHSA-pqgm-9g82-wcm7.json
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