CVE-2026-24833
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into DNN module descriptions, which then execute in the Persona Bar administration interface. It affects DNN CMS versions prior to 9.13.10 and 10.2.0. Administrators and users with Persona Bar access are at risk of cross-site scripting attacks.
💻 Affected Systems
- DNN Platform (formerly DotNetNuke)
📦 What is this software?
Dotnetnuke by Dnnsoftware
Dotnetnuke by Dnnsoftware
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Administrator account compromise leading to full CMS takeover, data theft, or website defacement through stored XSS in the admin interface.
Likely Case
Session hijacking of administrators, credential theft via phishing, or unauthorized actions performed through the compromised admin session.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if administrators use separate accounts for CMS administration and regular browsing, with proper browser security settings.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to install modules with malicious descriptions, which typically requires at least contributor-level access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 9.13.10 or 10.2.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/dnnsoftware/Dnn.Platform/security/advisories/GHSA-9r3h-mpf8-25gj
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your DNN installation and database. 2. Download DNN Platform version 9.13.10 or 10.2.0 from the official repository. 3. Follow the DNN upgrade documentation for your version. 4. Restart the application pool in IIS. 5. Verify the upgrade completed successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Persona Bar for non-administrators
allLimit Persona Bar access to only essential administrator accounts to reduce attack surface.
Implement Content Security Policy
windowsAdd CSP headers to prevent script execution from untrusted sources.
Add to web.config: <add name="Content-Security-Policy" value="script-src 'self'" />
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict module installation permissions to trusted administrators only
- Implement web application firewall rules to block suspicious script patterns in module descriptions
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check DNN version in Host Settings > Basic Settings, or examine the /Portals/_default/default.css file version comment.Check Version:
Check the version in Host > Host Settings > Basic Settings page in DNN admin interfaceVerify Fix Applied:
After patching, verify version shows 9.13.10 or 10.2.0 in Host Settings, and test that script tags in module descriptions no longer execute.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual module installation events
- Administrator account activity from unexpected locations
- Script execution errors in Persona Bar
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing script tags in module description parameters
- Unexpected outbound connections from admin sessions
SIEM Query:
source="dnn_logs" AND (event="module_install" OR event="personabar_access") AND (description CONTAINS "<script>" OR description CONTAINS "javascript:")