# CVE-2025-45388: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Stored XSS in Wagtail CMS document uploads allows code execution if files are served without proper security headers.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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:** 7 May 2025
- **Updated:** 9 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q787-4mx6-96qg

## What is CVE-2025-45388?

CVE-2025-45388 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 May 2025. 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

Wagtail CMS 6.4.1 is vulnerable to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in the document upload functionality. Attackers can inject malicious code inside a PDF file. When a user clicks the document in the CMS interface, the payload executes. NOTE: this is disputed by the Supplier because "It has been well documented that when serving uploaded files using a method outside of Wagtail (which admittedly is the default), it requires additional configuration from the developer, because Wagtail cannot control how these are served. ... For example, if a Wagtail instance is configured to upload files into AWS S3, Wagtail cannot control the permissions on how they're served, nor any headers used when serving them (a limitation of S3)."

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-45388?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-45388?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-45388 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-45388 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-45388 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-45388 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-45388 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 May 2025. 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-2025-45388 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2025-45388/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-45388/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-45388
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-45388
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-45388

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-45388/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.