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MaharaApplication

CVE-2024-35203

MEDIUM · 6.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-08-26
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 22.10.6 / 23.04.6 or later.
See remediation →
68/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable No privileges

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Mahara before 22.10.6, 23.04.6, and 24.04.1 allows cross-site scripting (XSS) via a file, with JavaScript code as part of its name, that is uploaded via the Mahara filebrowser system.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Mahara before versions 22.10.6, 23.04.6, and 24.04.1 is vulnerable to a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. Attackers can upload files with JavaScript code embedded in the filename through the Mahara filebrowser system. When other users view or access the file listing, the malicious JavaScript executes in their browser session.

MitigationUpgrade Mahara to version 22.10.6, 23.04.6, 24.04.1 or later. As a temporary workaround, implement filename sanitization to strip or escape special characters including script tags before file storage.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
MaharaApplication
Affected:< 22.10.6>= 23.04.0, < 23.04.6>= 24.04.0, < 24.04.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Mahara version
    Check the version.php file in the Mahara installation root directory or access the admin panel 'Administration -> Configure -> Site options' to view the installed version number
    Affected if The installed version is less than 22.10.6, or between 23.04.0 and 23.04.5 inclusive, or between 24.04.0 and 24.04.0 inclusive (i.e., falls within < 22.10.6; >= 23.04.0, < 23.04.6; >= 24.04.0, < 24.04.1)
  2. Confirm file upload functionality is active
    Navigate to the filebrowser system in Mahara - typically found in user portfolios, personal files, or institution files sections. Verify that file upload capability is available for standard users
    Affected if File upload via the filebrowser is enabled and accessible to users
  3. Inspect uploaded filenames for script tags
    Use the database to query the file filenames table (likely 'artefact_file_files' table) or browse the file storage directory to examine filenames for the presence of <script>, javascript:, onerror=, or other HTML/script injection patterns
    Affected if Any filenames in the system contain unsanitized script tags or JavaScript event handlers
  4. Check file listing access
    Verify that other users can access the filebrowser or file listing views where uploaded files are displayed (such as shared portfolios, file galleries, or download pages)
    Affected if Multiple users can view or access file listings containing user-uploaded files

A user is affected if their Mahara installation version is within the vulnerable ranges AND the filebrowser upload feature is enabled and accessible to users who could potentially inject malicious filenames.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 22.10.6 / 23.04.6 / 24.04.1 or later
Fixed in 22.10.623.04.624.04.1
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Mahara to version 22.10.6, 23.04.6, 24.04.1 or later. As a temporary workaround, implement filename sanitization to strip or escape special characters including script tags before file storage.

Recommended fix High confidence

22.10.6, 23.04.6, or 24.04.1 (depending on your current branch)

  1. 1. Back up your Mahara database and files (htdocs directory, data directory, and config.php)
  2. 2. Identify your current Mahara version in Site Administration > Configuration > General settings
  3. 3. If running version < 22.10.6: Upgrade to version 22.10.6
  4. 4. If running version 23.04.0-23.04.5: Upgrade to version 23.04.6
  5. 5. If running version 24.04.0: Upgrade to version 24.04.1
  6. 6. After upgrade, clear any caches (Site Administration > Configuration > Cache)
  7. 7. Verify the fix by attempting to upload a file with JavaScript in the filename through the filebrowser (or use your security testing methodology)
Caveat Review Mahara release notes for your target version to check for any breaking changes or required migration steps before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Mahara Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-35203 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data