CVE-2023-39516: Cacti is an open source operational monitoring and fault management framework. Affected versions are subject to a Stored Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS) Vu...

Description

Cacti is an open source operational monitoring and fault management framework. Affected versions are subject to a Stored Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability which allows an authenticated user to poison data stored in the _cacti_'s database. These data will be viewed by administrative _cacti_ accounts and execute JavaScript code in the victim's browser at view-time. The script under `data_sources.php` displays the data source management information (e.g. data source path, polling configuration etc.) for different data visualizations of the _cacti_ app. CENSUS found that an adversary that is able to configure a malicious data-source path, can deploy a stored XSS attack against any user of the same (or broader) privileges. A user that possesses the 'General Administration>Sites/Devices/Data' permissions can configure the data source path in Cacti. This configuration occurs through `http://<HOST>/cacti/data_sources.php`. The same page can be used for previewing the data source path. This issue has been addressed in version 1.2.25. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should manually escape HTML output.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

4.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.70%

48.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cacti	Cacti	< 1.2.25
Fedoraproject	Fedora	37
Fedoraproject	Fedora	38

References

Timeline

Published: Sep 5, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-39516?

Cacti is an open source operational monitoring and fault management framework. Affected versions are subject to a Stored Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability which allows an authenticated user to poison data stored in the _cacti_'s database. These data will be viewed by administrative _cacti_ accounts and execute JavaScript code in the victim's browser at view-time. The script under `data_sources.php` displays the data source management information (e.g. data source path, polling configuration etc.) for different data visualizations of the _cacti_ app. CENSUS found that an adversary that is able to configure a malicious data-source path, can deploy a stored XSS attack against any user of the same (or broader) privileges. A user that possesses the 'General Administration>Sites/Devices/Data' permissions can configure the data source path in Cacti. This configuration occurs through `http://<HOST>/cacti/data_sources.php`. The same page can be used for previewing the data source path. This issue has been addressed in version 1.2.25. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should manually escape HTML output.

How severe is CVE-2023-39516?

CVE-2023-39516 has a CVSS score of 4.8/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.70% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-39516?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.