# CVE-2021-25967: CKAN - Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) via SVG File Upload

> Low-privileged users can inject malicious scripts via SVG profile pictures, leading to code execution in victims' browsers.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 30 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6w9p-88qg-p3g3, PYSEC-2021-841

## What is CVE-2021-25967?

CVE-2021-25967 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in ckan, published on 1 Dec 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In CKAN, versions 2.9.0 to 2.9.3 are affected by a stored XSS vulnerability via SVG file upload of users’ profile picture. This allows low privileged application users to store malicious scripts in their profile picture. These scripts are executed in a victim’s browser when they open the malicious profile picture

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-25967?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including ckan. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ckan` | PyPI | From 2.9.0 | 2.10.0 |
| `ckan` | PyPI | From 2.9.0 | 2.10.0 |
| `ckan` | PyPI | From 2.9.0 | 2.9.4 |

Products: Okfn Ckan.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-25967?

Upgrade ckan to a fixed version for your release line: 2.10.0 or 2.9.4.

## Is CVE-2021-25967 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-25967 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ckan

- [CVE-2023-32321](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32321/): CKAN remote code execution and private information access via crafted resource ids (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-32696](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32696/): Excessive permissions for ckan user (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-43685](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-43685/): CKAN contains Improper Authentication leading to account takeover (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-22746](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22746/): CKAN is vulnerable to session secret shared across instances using Docker images (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-42031](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42031/): CKAN: Unauthenticated SQL Injection and Authorization Bypass in `datastore_search_sql` (high 8.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-25967 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-25967 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in ckan, published on 1 Dec 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-25967 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- ckan (PyPI): affected from 2.9.0; fixed in 2.10.0
- ckan (PyPI): affected from 2.9.0; fixed in 2.10.0
- ckan (PyPI): affected from 2.9.0; fixed in 2.9.4

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25967/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25967/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-25967
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25967
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-25967

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25967/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.