# CVE-2021-25993: Requarks wiki.js - Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in markdown editor

> An editor can upload malicious SVG files to execute scripts, stealing JWT tokens and leading to account takeover.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 29 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 30 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-42pj-96jc-q58w

## What is CVE-2021-25993?

CVE-2021-25993 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Requarks wiki, published on 29 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 Requarks wiki.js, versions 2.0.0-beta.147 to 2.5.255 are affected by Stored XSS vulnerability, where a low privileged (editor) user can upload a SVG file that contains malicious JavaScript while uploading assets in the page. That will send the JWT tokens to the attacker’s server and will lead to account takeover when accessed by the victim.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-25993?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Requarks Wiki.js.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-25993?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-25993 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-25993 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-25993 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Requarks wiki

- [CVE-2025-56643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-56643/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-44224](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44224/): Wiki.js: Privilege Escalation via Missing Group Validation in users.update (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2020-15236](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15236/): Directory Traversal in Wiki.js (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2021-43855](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43855/): Stored XSS via SVG in Requarks/wiki (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2021-43856](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43856/): Stored XSS in non-image uploads in Requarks/wiki (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-25993 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-25993 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Requarks wiki, published on 29 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-2021-25993 exists.

Affected product: Requarks wiki. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2021-25993/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25993/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-25993
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25993
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-25993

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25993/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.