HIGH CVSS 7.1
Published: 2023-07-27

CVE-2023-37981

wpkube authors_list Security Advisory (CVE-2023-37981)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2023-37981 impacting wpkube authors_list. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.1 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WPKube Authors List plugin <= 2.0.2 versions.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
Low (A:L)
Partial service performance degradation

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product wpkube / authors_list
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-79

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2023-37981 impacting wpkube authors_list.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2023-37981.yaml
id: cve-2023-37981

info:
  name: wpkube authors_list - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2023-37981 affecting wpkube authors_list.
    Evaluation: Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WPKube Authors List plugin &lt;= 2.0.2 versions....
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2023-37981
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
    cvss-score: 7.1
    cve-id: CVE-2023-37981
    cwe-id: CWE-79
  tags: cve,cve-2023-37981,wpkube,authors_list,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "authors_list"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2023-37981.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2023-37981
# Target: wpkube authors_list | CVSS: 7.1 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2023-37981 (wpkube authors_list)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against wpkube authors_list scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2023-37981.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2023-37981
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install authors_list 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade authors_list 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update authors_list

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i authors_list 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i authors_list

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2023-37981 in wpkube authors_list?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update wpkube authors_list packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2023-37981?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2023-37981?

CVE-2023-37981 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.1 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
7.1
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2023-37981
Weakness CWE-79
Vendor wpkube
Product authors_list
Published 2023-07-27
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L