CVE-2023-53876VulnerabilityPublished 15 Dec 2025

CVE-2023-53876: Creativeitem Academy LMS · Unrestricted File Upload

Affects Creativeitem Academy LMSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.1 Medium.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score

5.1Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 15% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Requirements: None
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Passive
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low
Vulnerable system integrity: Low
Vulnerable system availability: None
Subsequent system confidentiality: Low
Subsequent system integrity: Low
Subsequent system availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable system is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed below, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed “remotely exploitable” and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: The attacker must take no measurable action to exploit the vulnerability. The attack requires no target-specific circumvention to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: None: The successful attack does not depend on the deployment and execution conditions of the vulnerable system. The attacker can expect to be able to reach the vulnerability and execute the exploit under all or most instances of the vulnerability.
Privileges Required: Low: The attacker requires privileges that provide basic capabilities that are typically limited to settings and resources owned by a single low-privileged user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges has the ability to access only non-sensitive resources.
User Interaction: Passive: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires limited interaction by the targeted user with the vulnerable system and the attacker’s payload. These interactions would be considered involuntary and do not require that the user actively subvert protections built into the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the Subsequent System.
Subsequent system integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact to the Subsequent System.
Subsequent system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Subsequent System or all availability impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v4.0 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Dec 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-26.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Creativeitem Academy LMS	Affected =6.1	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

European organizations should implement strict server-side validation of uploaded files, ensuring only safe image formats are accepted and that SVG files are either disallowed or sanitized to remove executable content. Employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can help mitigate the impact of XSS by restricting script execution contexts. Restrict avatar upload permissions to trusted users or administrators where feasible. Monitor and audit file uploads for suspicious content and implement web application firewalls (WAF) with rules targeting malicious SVG payloads. Encourage users to update to newer versions of Academy LMS once patches are released. In the interim, consider disabling the avatar upload feature or restricting it to non-SVG formats. Educate users about phishing and social engineering risks associated with malicious avatars. Regularly review and update security policies related to LMS usage and file uploads.

Description

CVE-2023-53876 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Creativeitem's Academy LMS version 6.1 that allows authenticated users to upload malicious SVG files containing stored cross-site scripting (XSS) payloads. The flaw arises from insufficient validation of file types in the profile avatar upload feature, enabling attackers to bypass restrictions by modifying file extensions and embedding executable JavaScript code within SVG files. Exploitation requires user authentication and some user interaction, but no elevated privileges. Successful attacks could lead to script execution in the context of other users, potentially compromising session data and user accounts. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. European organizations using Academy LMS 6.1 should prioritize patching or implementing mitigations to prevent abuse. Countries with significant e-learning adoption and Creativeitem customer bases, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are most likely to be affected. Mitigation includes strict file type validation, sanitizing SVG content, and restricting avatar upload capabilities.

Impact

For European organizations using Academy LMS 6.1, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized script execution within the LMS environment, compromising user accounts and potentially exposing sensitive educational data. Stored XSS can facilitate session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized actions performed under the guise of legitimate users, undermining trust in the LMS platform. Given the widespread adoption of e-learning platforms in Europe, especially in educational institutions and corporate training, exploitation could disrupt learning activities and lead to data breaches. The requirement for authentication limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as any legitimate user could exploit the flaw. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is moderate, while availability is unlikely to be directly affected. Organizations handling personal data of students and employees must consider GDPR implications if data is compromised. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future attacks.

Summary

CVE-2023-53876 is a vulnerability identified in Creativeitem's Academy LMS version 6.1, involving an unrestricted file upload flaw specifically targeting the profile avatar upload functionality. Authenticated users can upload SVG files that contain embedded JavaScript code, which is executed when the SVG is rendered by other users, resulting in stored cross-site scripting (XSS). The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and sanitization of uploaded files, allowing attackers to bypass file type restrictions by altering file extensions and embedding malicious scripts within SVG images. This stored XSS can be leveraged to hijack user sessions, steal cookies, perform actions on behalf of victims, or deliver further malware. The attack vector requires the attacker to be authenticated and involves some user interaction, such as viewing the malicious avatar. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.1, indicating a medium severity level due to network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required beyond authentication, and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a risk to organizations relying on Academy LMS for e-learning and training. The lack of patch links suggests that a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for interim mitigations.

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 22 Dec 2025, 21:50 UTC

Technical details

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