XWiki Platform Stored Cross-site Scripting in the user profile via the timezone displayer

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

5.4 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2023-40176: 79.99% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.61 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact Any registered user can exploit a stored XSS through their user profile by setting the payload as the value of the time zone user preference. Even though the time zone is selected from a drop down (no free text value) it can still be set from JavaScript (using the browser developer tools) or by calling the save URL on the user profile with the right query string. Once the time zone is set it is displayed without escaping which means the payload gets executed for any user that visits the malicious user profile, allowing the attacker to steal information and even gain more access rights (escalation to programming rights). The problem is present since version 4.1M2 when the time zone user preference was introduced. Patches The issue has been fixed in XWiki 14.10.5 and 15.1RC1 by https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/commit/d11ca5d781f8a42a85bc98eb82306c1431e764d4 . The main fix is in the displayertimezone.vm precisely at this line: $!escapetool.xml($value) By escaping the…

Published by the source

21 Aug 2023, 19:59 UTC

Last modified by the source

6 Nov 2023, 05:00 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:16 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-h8cm-3v5f-rgp6

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2023-40176

Advisory: XWiki Platform Stored Cross-site Scripting in the user profile via the timezone displayer
IDs: CVE-2023-40176, GHSA-h8cm-3v5f-rgp6
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2023-40176 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:16 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates 14.10.5. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates: affected >= 4.1-milestone-2, < 14.10.5; fixed in 14.10.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-h8cm-3v5f-rgp6 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-h8cm-3v5f-rgp6 lists affected ranges: Maven org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates >=4.1-milestone-2 <14.10.5)

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