---
title: "CVE-2023-49093: HtmlUnit vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) via XSTL"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2023-49093/
description: "CVE-2023-49093 (org.htmlunit:htmlunit (Maven)): HtmlUnit is a GUI-less browser for Java programs. HtmlUnit is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) via…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2023-12-04
date_modified: 2024-10-10
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2023-49093"
kev: false
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.02358
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2023-49093: HtmlUnit vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) via XSTL

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 2.4% , percentile 84: FIRST’s model estimates a 2.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 84% of all scored CVEs (elevated). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes org.htmlunit:htmlunit (Maven) < 3.9.0, fixed in 3.9.0 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

HtmlUnit is a GUI-less browser for Java programs. HtmlUnit is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) via XSTL, when browsing the attacker’s webpage. This vulnerability has been patched in version 3.9.0

## Affected packages

- Maven `org.htmlunit:htmlunit` < 3.9.0 → fixed: 3.9.0

## Affected products (CVE record)

- HtmlUnit htmlunit: < 3.9.0

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc , automatable yes , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 2.36% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 84.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-37vq-hr2f-g7h7](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-37vq-hr2f-g7h7)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2023-49093](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-49093)
- [NVD entry CVE-2023-49093](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-49093)
- [github.com](https://github.com/HtmlUnit/htmlunit/security/advisories/GHSA-37vq-hr2f-g7h7)
- [htmlunit.org](https://www.htmlunit.org/changes-report.html#a3.9.0)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2023-49093/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt