CVE-2026-2224 identifies a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the code-projects Online Reviewer System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the handling of the 'firstname' argument within the /system/system/admins/manage/users/btn_functions.php file. Due to insufficient input sanitization, an attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code remotely by manipulating this parameter. When an administrator or authorized user accesses the affected functionality, the injected script executes in their browser context. This can lead to theft of session cookies, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability does not require prior authentication but does require user interaction, such as viewing a crafted page or input. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:L), user interaction required (UI:P), and limited impact on confidentiality and integrity (CI:L) with no impact on availability. No patches are currently linked, and no known exploits are active in the wild, but public exploit code availability increases risk. The vulnerability affects only version 1.0 of the product, which is an online system used for managing reviews, likely in organizational or educational contexts. The lack of scope change (S:N) means the vulnerability is confined to the vulnerable component without affecting other system components. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks in web applications.

For European organizations using the code-projects Online Reviewer System 1.0, this vulnerability poses a risk of client-side script injection leading to session hijacking, unauthorized actions, and potential data leakage. Since the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, attackers can target exposed administrative interfaces to compromise user accounts, especially administrators. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive review data or manipulation of user information. The medium severity indicates moderate impact, but the presence of public exploit code increases the likelihood of exploitation attempts. Organizations in sectors relying on online review systems, such as education, publishing, or internal corporate review processes, may face reputational damage or operational disruption if exploited. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks within the network if administrative credentials are compromised. Given the European Union's strict data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR), exploitation leading to data breaches could result in regulatory penalties and loss of customer trust.

To mitigate CVE-2026-2224, organizations should first verify if they are running code-projects Online Reviewer System version 1.0 and prioritize upgrading to a patched version once available. In the absence of an official patch, implement strict input validation on the 'firstname' parameter to reject or sanitize any potentially malicious characters or scripts. Employ output encoding techniques (e.g., HTML entity encoding) when rendering user-supplied data in the web interface to prevent script execution. Restrict access to the administrative interface by implementing network-level controls such as IP whitelisting or VPN access to limit exposure. Enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to reduce the impact of XSS by restricting the sources of executable scripts. Conduct regular security awareness training for administrators to recognize suspicious inputs or behaviors. Monitor web server logs for unusual requests targeting the vulnerable parameter and implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block exploitation attempts. Finally, consider isolating the vulnerable system from critical networks until remediation is complete.