# CVE-2023-45673: Arbitrary code execution on click of PDF links in Joplin

> Attackers can execute arbitrary shell commands by tricking users into clicking links in untrusted PDFs within Joplin notes.

- **Severity:** High 8.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/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-g8qx-5vcm-3x59

## What is CVE-2023-45673?

CVE-2023-45673 is a high-severity code injection 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 remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in affected versions allows clicking on a link in a PDF in an untrusted note to execute arbitrary shell commands. Clicking links in PDFs allows for arbitrary code execution because Joplin desktop: 1. has not disabled top redirection for note viewer iframes, and 2. and has node integration enabled. This is a remote code execution vulnerability that impacts anyone who attaches untrusted PDFs to notes and has the icon enabled. This issue has been addressed in version 2.13.3. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-45673?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Joplin Project Joplin.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-45673?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-45673 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-45673 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-45673 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-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)
- [CVE-2023-38506](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38506/): Cross-site Scripting (XSS) when pasting HTML into the rich text editor in Joplin (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-45673 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-45673 is a high-severity code injection 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-2023-45673 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-2023-45673/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45673/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-45673
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-45673
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-45673

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-45673/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.