VulnerabilityPublished 17 Dec 2025

CVE-2023-53928: Php-fusion PHPFusion · Cross-site Scripting

Affects Php-fusion PHPFusionSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.1 Medium.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 15:59 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 18% 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 17 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 26 Oct 2026.

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 or the CVSS exploit maturity 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
Php-fusion PHPFusion	Affected =9.10.30	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

Immediately restrict or disable SVG file uploads in the PHPFusion file manager until a vendor patch is available.
Implement strict server-side validation and sanitization of uploaded SVG files to remove or block embedded scripts.
Use Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict execution of inline scripts and limit the domains from which scripts can be loaded, mitigating the impact of XSS.
Enforce least privilege access controls to limit who can upload files, reducing the risk of malicious uploads.
Educate users to avoid opening suspicious SVG files or links within the affected application.
Monitor web server logs and application activity for unusual file uploads or access patterns.
Keep PHPFusion installations updated and subscribe to vendor security advisories for timely patching.
Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious SVG payloads.
Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on file upload functionalities.
If possible, isolate the file manager component or restrict access to trusted users only.

Description

PHPFusion 9.10.30 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the file manager that allows attackers to upload malicious SVG files with embedded JavaScript. Attackers can upload SVG files with script tags that execute arbitrary JavaScript when viewed, potentially stealing user session information or performing client-side attacks.

Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to web applications running PHPFusion 9.10.30, especially those that allow user-uploaded SVG files via the file manager. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and potentially escalate privileges or access sensitive data. This can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of user accounts and data. Organizations with public-facing websites or intranet portals using PHPFusion are at risk of client-side attacks that may damage reputation, lead to data breaches, or facilitate further network penetration. The impact is heightened in sectors with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR, where session theft or data exposure can result in regulatory penalties. Although no availability impact is expected, the indirect consequences of compromised user accounts can disrupt business operations and trust. The medium severity rating indicates that while the threat is not critical, it should not be ignored, especially in environments with high-value targets or sensitive user data.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…