External risk intelligence

phpkobo AjaxNewsTicker Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2023-41449

AjaxNewsTicker is a web-based component designed to be embedded directly into websites to display news content. As a public-facing web element, it is typically reachable from the internet as part of the host website's public-facing interface.

Server-Side Request Forgery

Phpkobo Ajaxnewsticker

1.0.5

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This advisory details a critical vulnerability in a specific version of the phpkobo AjaxNewsTicker component that could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. The component is used on websites for displaying news. The primary concern is to confirm if this specific component and version are present within the organization's environment.

Flaw allows code execution over the internet.
Affects a website news display component.
Confirm relevance and exposure across our web presence.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted request to a vulnerable installation. This could allow them to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system, potentially leading to a complete compromise.

No authentication is required.
A crafted payload is sent to the 'reque' parameter.
Risk of arbitrary code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system by sending a specially crafted request. This could potentially lead to a complete compromise of the server.

System code execution.
Via crafted network payload.
Complete server compromise.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability affects the phpkobo AjaxNewsTicker component, likely managed by web application or content management system owners. The first practical step is to identify all instances of this software, confirm their accessibility and business criticality, and then assign an accountable owner to plan remediation based on associated risk.

Application owners should own this issue.
Verify public accessibility and business criticality.
Coordinate vendor engagement and remediation planning.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is phpkobo AjaxNewsTicker?

AjaxNewsTicker is a lightweight web component created by phpkobo designed to be embedded into websites. It functions as a dynamic widget that fetches and displays news content to visitors, typically integrated directly into a site's front-end layout.

How does CVE-2023-41449 work?

This vulnerability is classified as Server-Side Request Forgery (CWE-918). It occurs because the application processes user-supplied input insecurely, allowing an attacker to manipulate the software into performing unintended actions, which in this case leads to the execution of unauthorized commands on the host server.

When can an attacker trigger this vulnerability?

An attacker triggers the flaw by sending a specially crafted request containing a malicious payload to the 'reque' parameter. The vulnerability does not require any prior user authentication, and simply browsing the website normally without the malicious parameter will not initiate the exploit.

Is my website at risk from this flaw?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this component is designed for public-facing web interfaces. Because it is intended to be reachable from the internet to serve content, any instance of AjaxNewsTicker v.1.0.5 deployed on a live website is considered exposed to remote network-based attempts.

What should I do if I use this software?

Begin by auditing your web assets to locate any installations of the affected version. Once identified, evaluate the business necessity of the component and assign an owner to manage its security status, such as disabling the feature or coordinating with the vendor for a secure update.

References

gist.github.com/RNPG/c1ae240f2acec138132aa64ce3faa2e0

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.