# CVE-2024-53268: Lack of validation on openExternal allows 1 click remote code execution in joplin

> Attackers can achieve remote code execution on Windows by exploiting unfiltered URI schemes in the openExternal function of the Joplin note-taking application.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 25 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pc5v-xp44-5mgv

## What is CVE-2024-53268?

CVE-2024-53268 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in laurent22 joplin, published on 25 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Joplin is an open source, privacy-focused note taking app with sync capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. In affected versions attackers are able to abuse the fact that openExternal is used without any filtering of URI schemes to obtain remote code execution in Windows environments. This issue has been addressed in version 3.0.3 and all 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-2024-53268?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Joplin Project Joplin.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-53268?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-53268 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-53268 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-53268 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-2024-53268 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-53268 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in laurent22 joplin, published on 25 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local 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-2024-53268 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-2024-53268/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53268/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-53268
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-53268
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-53268

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53268/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.