CVE-2023-38506 Cross-site Scripting (XSS) when pasting HTML into the rich text editor in Joplin
Attackers can execute arbitrary code by pasting malicious HTML into the rich text editor, requiring users to upgrade Joplin.
- 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
- None listed
What is CVE-2023-38506?
CVE-2023-38506 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in laurent22 joplin, published on 21 Jun 2024. 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 is a free, open source note taking and to-do application. A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability allows pasting untrusted data into the rich text editor to execute arbitrary code. HTML pasted into the rich text editor is not sanitized (or not sanitized properly). As such, the `onload` attribute of pasted images can execute arbitrary code. Because the TinyMCE editor frame does not use the `sandbox` attribute, such scripts can access NodeJS's `require` through the `top` variable. From this, an attacker can run arbitrary commands. This issue has been addressed in version 2.12.10 and users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
Weakness: CWE-79
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38506?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Joplin Project Joplin.
How do I fix CVE-2023-38506?
No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38506 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
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-2023-38506 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38506 exists.
Other vulnerabilities in laurent22 joplin
- 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-m59c-9rrj-c399.