# CVE-2024-38354: Cross-site Scripting in Hackmd.io Notes lead by HTML Injection

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in victim browsers via unsanitized HTML injection in CodiMD notebook features.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-22jv-vch8-2vp9

## What is CVE-2024-38354?

CVE-2024-38354 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in hackmdio codimd, published on 10 Jul 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

CodiMD allows realtime collaborative markdown notes on all platforms. The notebook feature of Hackmd.io permits the rendering of iframe `HTML` tags with an improperly sanitized `name` attribute. This vulnerability enables attackers to perform cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via DOM clobbering. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.5.4.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-38354?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hackmd Codimd.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-38354?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-38354 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-38354 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-38354 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in hackmdio codimd

- [CVE-2024-22778](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22778/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2019-15499](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15499/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2024-38353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38353/): CodiMD - Missing Image Access Controls and Unauthorized Image Access (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2025-46654](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-46654/): Cross-site scripting in CodiMD (medium 4.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-38354 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-38354 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in hackmdio codimd, published on 10 Jul 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, 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-2024-38354 exists.

Affected product: hackmdio codimd. 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-2024-38354/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38354/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38354
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38354
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38354

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38354/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.