Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A flaw in OWASP ESAPI’s default AntiSamy configuration could let unsafe URLs evade sanitization and cause cross-site scripting in applications that rely on it. The issue is patched in ESAPI 2.3.0.0. Business impact is mainly account/session abuse or data exposure through a victim’s browser, not server takeover.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority web application risk. It should be fixed in normal patch cycles, faster for internet-facing systems handling user-generated content. There is no provided evidence of active exploitation, but XSS can still support credential theft, session abuse, and reputational impact.
Technical view
CVE-2022-24891 is CWE-79 in org.owasp.esapi:esapi before 2.3.0.0. The antisamy-esapi.xml onsiteURL regular expression could allow javascript: URLs to be incorrectly sanitized. CVSS 3.1 is 5.4 with network access, low complexity, no privileges, required user interaction, and limited confidentiality/integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in Java applications using ESAPI esapi-java-legacy <= 2.2.3.1, especially where the bundled AntiSamy policy sanitizes user-controlled URL content. Downstream exposure may exist through products or distributions referenced by Oracle, NetApp, and Debian advisories.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Practical exploitation requires a vulnerable application path where attacker-supplied URL-bearing content is sanitized with the affected configuration and then rendered to a user who interacts with it.
Researcher notes
Key uncertainty is application reachability: ESAPI presence alone does not prove exploitability. Confirm whether the affected AntiSamy configuration is actually used on attacker-controlled input and whether sanitized output is rendered in browsers. Avoid assuming all Oracle, NetApp, or Debian environments are vulnerable without product-specific mapping.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade ESAPI to version 2.3.0.0 or later where feasible.
- Apply the maintainers’ antisamy-esapi.xml onsiteURL workaround if immediate upgrade is blocked.
- Review Oracle, NetApp, or Debian guidance if ESAPI is supplied through those products.
- Prioritize externally facing applications that render user-submitted links or rich text.
- Track remediation through dependency management and vendor patch processes.
Validation and detection
- Inventory org.owasp.esapi:esapi and esapi-java-legacy versions across applications.
- Flag versions <= 2.2.3.1 as affected unless vendor guidance states otherwise.
- Check deployed antisamy-esapi.xml files for the vulnerable onsiteURL regular expression.
- Verify sanitization behavior in a safe test environment without using production data.
- Confirm downstream vendor appliances, packages, or applications have received relevant updates.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-24891 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N2.82.5Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/blob/develop/documentation/esapi4java-core-2.3.0.0-release-notes.txtCVE reference
- https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/security/advisories/GHSA-q77q-vx4q-xx6qCVE reference
- https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/blob/develop/documentation/ESAPI-security-bulletin8.pdfCVE reference
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.htmlCVE reference
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230127-0014/CVE reference
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/07/msg00010.htmlCVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.