# 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.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 21 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m59c-9rrj-c399

## 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 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38506?

It affects 1 product.


Products: 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.

## 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](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23340/): Joplin Vulnerable to Code Injection (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-40643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-40643/): Joplin has a parsing error leading to Cross-site Scripting (XSS) (critical 9.7)
- [CVE-2023-45673](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45673/): Arbitrary code execution on click of PDF links in Joplin (high 8.9)
- [CVE-2025-27134](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27134/): Privilege escalation in Joplin server via user patch endpoint (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-37898](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37898/): Safe mode Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Joplin (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38506 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38506 exists.

Affected product: laurent22 joplin. 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-2023-38506/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38506/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38506
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38506
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38506

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38506/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.