CVE-2020-9038 Cross-site Scripting in Joplin
Attackers can exploit XSS in Joplin to perform arbitrary file reads, potentially exposing sensitive user data.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2020-9038?
CVE-2020-9038 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Feb 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Joplin through 1.0.184 allows Arbitrary File Read via XSS.
Weakness: CWE-79
Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-9038?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including joplin. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
joplin npm | All versions | 1.2.1 |
joplin npm | All versions | 1.2.1 |
Products include Joplin Project Joplin.
How do I fix CVE-2020-9038?
Upgrade joplin to 1.2.1 or later.
Escape output for the context it lands in and set a strict Content Security Policy. Upgrading the affected component is the real fix. More about Cross-site scripting.
Is CVE-2020-9038 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-9038 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Public exploit code: 1 Exploit-DB entry and 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in n/a
- CVE-2022-23340 Joplin Vulnerable to Code Injection
- CVE-2024-40643 Joplin has a parsing error leading to Cross-site Scripting (XSS)
- CVE-2023-45673 Arbitrary code execution on click of PDF links in Joplin
- CVE-2025-27134 Privilege escalation in Joplin server via user patch endpoint
- CVE-2023-37898 Safe mode Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Joplin
Sources
Also known as GHSA-6r7x-hc8m-985r.