Detections
Analytics

Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-39516

medium Nessus Plugin ID 258520

Language:

Synopsis

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be patched.

Description

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

 - 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. (CVE-2023-39516)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

Solution

There is no known solution at this time.

See Also

https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-39516

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 258520

File Name: unpatched_CVE_2023_39516.nasl

Version: 1.1

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Misc.

Published: 8/30/2025

Updated: 8/30/2025

Supported Sensors: Agentless Assessment, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Low

Score: 3.8

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Low

Base Score: 3.5

Temporal Score: 2.7

Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2023-39516

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.8

Temporal Score: 4.3

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:cacti, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts

Required KB Items: Host/cpu, Host/local_checks_enabled, global_settings/vendor_unpatched, Host/OS/identifier

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Vulnerability Publication Date: 9/5/2023

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2023-39516